Overcoming Differences
by ChisatoHachirobei
Summary: Ever since they were born on the same day and on the same hospital, Chiharu & Katsuki have been the best of friends; sharing everything from secrets to laughter and tears. Despite having contrasts in nature, they have been inseparable. With Chiharu encouraging the impulsive Katsuki, and Katsuki protecting her from every harm. But what happens when reality hits them hard?
1. Chapter 1: Victorious Spring

"It's a boy."

"Huh?"

"I mean, the gender of your baby is a boy."

Bakugou Mitsuki couldn't believe what she heard. Her? Her what? Her child is a boy? Is she in heaven? If yes, please come and make her snap out of her dreams. She couldn't describe the feeling wrapping onto her chest. First, she married the guy she landed her eyes upon, Bakugou Masaru, and somehow hit on him aggressively until she made him her's. Second, their business in the fashion industry is booming. Now, they're gifted to have a child that will make their lives heavenly; not knowing that their child will make their lives a living hell in the later future. Well, anyway, God must be on their side, as they thought.

Masaru tapped his wife's shoulder, waking her up from her fantasy world, giving her a soft smile, "Isn't it great, Mitsuki?"

"Y-Yeah, I couldn't believe it." She nodded happily, agreeing to what her husband stated.

The doctor smiled in return, "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou."

With that being said, the couple brought out a smile and cheerful spirits as they leave the room. Since it is a well-spent and endearing day for the two of them, they decided to have a celebration by eating out to any kind of food Mitsuki craves for, so they end up in a family restaurant. They eventually found a seat for them to occupy and headed there.

Plopping upon the soft red couch, Mitsuki outstretched her arms while Masaru took a seat in front of her. He called out the waiter to take their orders, as soon as the staff heard him; the waitress in-line emerged from their line of sight and gave out some menus.

While the two Bakugous were busy picking out their orders, the chime rang from the door and there stood a couple. They were greeted by a waiter and were escorted to the seat just a few meters beside them. From the corner of his eye, as the couple happened to pass by his peripheral vision, he noticed that the woman is pregnant, and somehow her stomach is the same size as his wife's. But then dismissed the idea since he isn't an obstetrician. So, he resumed to pick his desired order that is suitable for their budget since he knows Mitsuki is a heavy eater.

"Are you done?" he asked, peering over to his wife.

"Hmmmm," she hummed, musing onto the menu, then lightening up for a bit, "Wait, I do have one in mind." Setting the menu on the table, she shifted her attention to the waitress and ordered:

"Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad, please!"

"Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad, please."

Both Masaru and Mitsuki's eyes blink onto the source of the unfamiliar voice beside them, it is the couple that Masaru inevitably saw a while ago, and who happened to order the same dish as her's. Then, it tick Mitsuki's senses, the woman has a wavy petrol blue hair cascading through her chest with shower fringes on her forehead, with turquoise eyes and red glasses to match her appearance. As for the guy seating in front of the woman, who they assumed to be her husband, has black spiky hair with striking purple eyes. Squinting onto the woman furthermore, she analyzed that the woman is pregnant. Wow, pure coincidence.

She smiled slyly, "Well, then the lady beside us can have that…"

But, the woman shook her head, "She can have that order…"

Both ladies dig into their menus for a minute while the two guys from each table glanced at each other; seemingly trying to apologize for their wives' actions.

"I have decided…" Mitsuki mumbled, and surely, the woman beside them won't ever pick this type of food...

"Shrimp salad, please!"

"Shrimp salad, please."

 _But failed…. Immediately._

The two woman glance to each other's eyes for a split second and eventually changed their order in unison:

"Never mind that, Lobster and Shrimp dip please!"

"Never mind that, Lobster and Shrimp dip please."

"Th-Then, chipotle chicken, please!" They stated in perfect unison, making their husbands' jaw dropped. Still, it never fazes them how their wives have interconnected minds despite never meeting before.

The two complete strangers still dragged their own orders in unison, while the men seemingly watched them in distraught. Not even a stutter or even a late pace of words, these two were completely amazing on their own. As if it's a challenge whoever gets a different order from each side, the women never stopped competing until they ran out of oxygen. But each time they pronounce it in unison, the atmosphere gets more awkward and more awkward for the other customers.

"Crispy chicken salad!" Mitsuki ordered.

"Crispy chicken salad," The woman ordered.

Mitsuki couldn't take it anymore, as if her nerves cracked in annoyance, she slammed both of her fists and stood up from her seat, "Don't fucking copy me, damn it!" The final confrontation made her snap out of her bubble and seemingly acted like her original self. Masaru stood up as well, trying to calm his wife down from picking a fight from the strangers.

The woman with petrol-hair kept her phase. Coughing to make her existence known, her eyes jolted onto the two couple right beside them and argued back, "Excuse me, but I think you're the one who is up for this stupid competition. I'm not even competing; I'm just giving you way so I changed my order."

"T-Taira!" Her husband stuttered, trying to dissolve the fight between the two. Currently, both husbands didn't even know how their lunches turned out to be some kind of competition to break the ice.

The woman, whom they assumed to be Taira, scoffed and puffed her cheeks to her husband, "Well, isn't it rude, Ryuuji? I just want to have a peaceful lunch."

"What the fucking hell did you say? You fucking four eyes." Mitsuki stated, her closed fist slamming the table again. If looks could ever kill, the glare she gave the Taira woman beside their table is definitely dead with her piercing gaze.

Insulted by that nickname, the pregnant woman also stood up and slammed her fist on the table, "Huh? Want a fight, bastard?"

The husband, whom they presumed is Ryuuji, halted her from accumulating more stress by forcing her to sit down.

"S-Sorry, T-Taira is having some kind of trouble and has been in a bad mood—" Ryuuji stuttered, apologizing to them for the umpteenth time.

"Well, I'm also s-sorry, Mitsuki is just hungry and somehow aggre—"Masaru apologized, trying to calm his wife down.

Somehow, the two husbands completely have the same thought that this fight is utterly meaningless and wondered onto the core reason this fight even ignited. But their wives won't take this as an opportunity to calm down, but instead glared at ea **ch o** ther furiously. The people around stopped with their businesses and turned to look onto the diminishing woman who is upright with their prides and is never backing down whatever their husband says.

"U-Um…" Finally, the waitress emerged, sweat-dropping to the utterly meaningless dispute, she decided to stop the argument between the two, "Even if you order both dishes, it won't even come out of stock…"

And that's how the battle between Mitsuki and Taira ended…

* * *

"Geez, Mitsuki. I don't know the reason why you got so pump up but stop stressing yourself." Masaru commented, reading his newspaper within the dining area. His eyebrows furrowed, concentrating onto the latest news about the fashion industry. It's been a day since they've encountered the strange couple within the restaurant, but somehow, Mitsuki couldn't even get over to what happened. Ranting to him about the woman named Taira pisses her off for some unknown reasons. She even told him that it seems like Taira is copying her and that really made her mad; from the pregnancy thing onto the food that she wants to eat.

 _Can pregnancy ever be copied?_ That's the thought he wanted to retort but decided not to.

On the other hand, Masaru is calm. In fact, he wanted to be friends with the calm husband named Ryuuji for putting up a brave act to make his wife stop rampaging. Although, honestly speaking, he couldn't help but wonder to the reason why Ryuuji married a hot-headed woman in the first place. Oh well, like he could even complain. He even married Mitsuki, the aggressive type, and as much as he wanted to ask himself the reason why he fell in love to his wife, he couldn't think of any reasons. He just loves her and love doesn't need any reasons.

He stood up from his seat, placing the newspaper in the table. His eyes traveled to the pregnant woman lying onto the couch lazily, and smiled. "I'm going to the supermarket, what do you want?"

Mitsuki peered from the couch, answering, "Pudding? Oh, can you handle the groceries? We ran out off some toiletries."

"Sure. Sure." He replied, closing the door, leaving Mitsuki alone.

She sighed. Being pregnant is so boring for her. All she can do is lie lazily, make herself a sloth or a panda and that's it. Sitting straight from the sofa, she caresses her stomach and whispered to herself, "Can't wait to see you." Speaking of the baby, since the gender is finally revealed and they haven't thought of a name. Now the name is stressing her out and it's really irritating for her. Normally, she won't be angry and lash out of stuff. But being pregnant sure has its own weaknesses. Enough with the constant stress, she decided to give some water to her garden in the backyard and have a peaceful day ahead of her.

Heading out of her door, the sun greeted her with its radiant and hot temperature which annoyed her a lot. Grabbing the sprinkler within the stock cabinet, she began to pour some water and somehow hummed a song to clear her mind. It's so peaceful and quiet to her state when she heard the door of her neighbor opening. Oh, that's right. They had a new neighbor. Readying her radiant smile to her lips, she shifted her attention to the person who emerged from the door, only to change her smile into a frown.

* * *

Masaru pushed the grocery cart to his designated destination. His eyes wiggled onto the different signs to satisfy Mitsuki's craving. Eventually, he went to the fridge where sweets are contained and displayed. Shuffling and pushing his cart to find the pudding, his smile widened when he found the pudding and lucky for him that there's a single cup for him to grab on. Without any further ado, as someone might grab it from him, his arms darted to the cup but got interrupted when another hand reached for it and bumped him in the way. His eyes traveled to the owner of the hand only to find out the seemingly oh-so-familiar guy with black spiky hair and purple eyes.

"Oh!" Ryuuji started, removing his hand onto the pudding, "It's the guy from the restaurant."

"Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Bakugou Masaru but you can call me Masaru." He introduced, extending his hand for a handshake.

"I'm Aragaki Ryuuji, you can call me Ryuuji." He accepted the handshake, smiling sheepishly to him. Masaru's eyes traveled onto the untouched pudding, sighing to him, "It seems that our wives really have the same minds."

Ryuuji could only agree to him, "In that case, you could take the pudding for your wife."

"O-Oh, but won't she rampage?" Masaru asked.

"No problem. Taira said that she wanted sweets and uh, she didn't state the specific sweets she wanted."

"Thank you very much, Ryuuji-san. Though, I wanted to apologize to what happened last time." He bowed for a bit, sincerely apologizing to him. But Ryuuji did the same, stuttering in response, "N-No, I should be the one apologizing…"

 _He is too nice…_

Thus, an undying friendship is born between the two timid guys…

* * *

Masaru gets it. He really gets it. But, after exiting the supermarket with his groceries in his grasps, and is on his way home. Somehow, Ryuuji started to head towards the same direction as him. He gets it that he wanted to make up with them but he couldn't think of any possible reasons to why the guy is following him.

"Ryuuji-san, I get it how you wanted to make up with us but you don't have to follow me all the way home." He started, finally breaking the ice between them. Ryuuji stopped from his tracks as well, blowing out a curious look to him, "Wha **t a** re you saying, Masaru-san? I get it also that you wanted to make up with us but you also don't have to follow me all the way home."

Wait… _what?_

Okay, he gets it. Ryuuji may be going to the same direction as well and not going to the same block, same street and same neighborhood as well. Silly, him. Of course, he isn't the owner of the whole road so there might be some coincidence like that. But this is hell of a coincidence, but he decided to shrug the idea off, as he coils out that he is being paranoid.

On their way home, Ryuuji began to talk about the real reason behind Taira's bratty attitude towards the Bakugous. Recently, before the dispute happened between them, Taira is stressed about their current financial state. They weren't able to produce that much as they've imagined. He works as a civil servant while she works as an interior designer. Although, he hates to admit it, his wife is making a large sum than him. Because of the sudden pregnancy, Taira began to stress and push herself beyond her limits to earn money for their baby and somehow, he hates that idea since he is the head of the household he should be the one grinding for them and not her wife. But, she insists to help and thus, receiving news that if she further overworks herself they might lose their baby. So that time in the restaurant really blew up her fuse and patience, though Taira is a composed woman she began to rampage, thus having that useless fight.

Hearing Ryuuji's story somehow made him really apologize for what they did. There's no comical excuse within Mitsuki's state. But, enough with the chitchat, he cannot help but wonder as they get closer and closer to his house the more he wonders Ryuuji's reason for following him up onto his house.

"S-Sorry for breaking the ice but… please stop following me…" Masaru spoke up.

Ryuuji looked around his surroundings, but let out a questioning look, "Sorry but isn't you Masaru-san that is following me?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, I live in this street. Look, my house is over there." Ryuuji pointed onto the vintage house right next to their big ass house, and somehow Masaru only wants to dig his own graveyard for making himself a big disgrace. He knew about the new neighbor right beside them but they didn't bother to greet them at all and as much as his dismay…

 _This is totally pure coincidence…_

 _This is one hell of a coincidence…_

"Sorry, actually, we're the one living right next to yours and we didn't bother to greet you." Masaru apologized deeply, bowing for a bit.

Nonetheless, Ryuuji nonchalantly answered, "You don't have to apologize to me every single time. But, I am relieved that I knew someone within this neighborhood, I thought we're going to be fore—"He stopped from his own words, when he recalled the words he spewed. _Knowing someone…?_ He recalled back then on how Taira is annoyed with Mitsuki's foul mouth and will do anything to keep her mouth shut. Realizing what Ryuuji meant, Masaru casually agreed that if ever Taira and Mitsuki meet all hell will break loose. Nodding in satisfaction, Masaru headed to his place and Ryuuji followed as well.

Gulping deeply, he turned the knob of his door, opening it quietly, "M-Mitsuki?" Their wary feeling began to wash when they saw something unbelievable within their two eyes.

Mitsuki and Taira is laughing their asses off onto some sort of stories while having some snacks within the living room; take note the laughing their asses off. The two men stood their quietly, their eyes widened and mouths completely ajar. Squeezing their eyes off to snap them out of their dreams, but somehow when they opened it wide they saw the same scenario that they really didn't even imagine.

"Oh, Masaru!" Mitsuki greeted.

"Ryuuji, you're late!"

This isn't what they expected to turn out. They expected a war, a rampage and a battlefield. But their eyes are definitely fooling them when they observed the oh-so-peaceful bond within these two.

"What happened?" Masaru cracked a smile, letting Ryuuji in as well for more clarification.

"What do you mean what happened?" Mitsuki laughed, hugging the pregnant woman by her side, "Taira is an amazing person, you know."

"Same goes to you, Mitsuki." Taira complimented, smiling in return.

They don't get it. They absolutely don't really get the idiot's brain. Girls are truly amazing, they are unpredictable. Masaru walked towards the dining area, putting down the groceries in it. He offered Ryuuji a sit to join the two unfathomable women in the sofa.

"Listen to this Masaru. Taira has the same due date as mine!" Mitsuki gladly announced, continuing, "She's April, too."

Taira joined, cheering as well, "Plus, Mitsuki's baby is a boy then mine is a girl which means…" The two ladies shared an 'if-you-know-what-I-mean' look, and started to giggle within themselves which absolutely throws the men completely out of bonds. They imagined their child playing as if they're inseparable. They even imagined some 'what-if's' stories when their children fell madly in love with each other; the complete obvious childhood love. Then, they continued to fantasize their children going to the same kindergarten, middle school and high school; having the same dream.

Though, the guys were completely out of place from the two women. They're both glad that in an unknown reason, they are very close and has an undeniable chemistry.

* * *

Nine months to Mitsuki's pregnancy, she needs to get hospitalized as soon as possible. But her demanding nature makes him panic and distorted. She continued to spew out some madly curses how it freaking hurts on how she'll make the baby pay for what she is undergoing but somehow changed her mind and shouted an apology to their soon-to-be son. He is going to be a father. She is going to be a mother. But, before that he needs to calm the hell down.

His prattling continued, going in and out of their house as he loaded up their car with all the necessary items they're going to need.

"Fucking bullshit, hurry the fuck up will you? It hurts like hell!" She cursed under her breath.

"Y-Yeah, I got all the stuff needed. Be calm, Mitsuki."

"I'm always calm and rational, stupid!"

Masaru took his wife's hand, locking the door behind him and led her to their car. When he was about to hurriedly heading to the driver's seat, he heard a yelp coming from their neighbor. His eyes traveled to Ryuuji escorting Taira from the house with some big bags on his shoulders.

"What keeps you waiting, Masaru?" Mitsuki asked, breathing heavily.

"I-It's that Taira-san is having her labor as well." Masaru explained, panicking whether to head out and help them or drive Mitsuki to the hospital.

"Well then, you got to fucking help them!" Mitsuki declared, giving out a thumbs up to him; sending a signal that she can hang on.

Masaru nodded in response, calling the couple to hitch a ride with them. Jogging to Ryuuji's place, he offered to help him carry their bags as Ryuuji escorted her to the car. When everything goes well Ryuuji sitting in the front seat and both the pregnant women in the back seat; Masaru hopped onto the driver's seat, starting the car, trying to catch his breath. The two pregnant women grimaced, screaming in pain, and with that he hurriedly threw the car in to the drive, taking off the road.

* * *

The screams echoed up and down the hallway. Every time it reverberated back, it panged his heart again and again. This is utter torture for them. Though, Masaru could only hear is the brutal curses of his wife like 'fuck' 'shit' 'motherfucker' 'it fucking hurts'. His eyes jolted onto the very calm Ryuuji, sipping his orange juice in his own care-free way. He couldn't help but ponder to the reason that this guy beside him is untroubled. Apparently, Ryuuji noticed it, tapping his shoulders, "As much as I wanted to panic, bolt into their room and scream her name, I can't. Taira told me she can deliver the baby at ease and that she wanted me to trust her. So, Mitsuki-san can handle it since she's a strong-willed woman, afterall." He smiled, popping out a chocolate candy to his mouth, chewing it in satisfaction.

 _He's too happy-go-lucky…_

"By the way, Ryuuji-san… What's your quirk?" Masaru asked, lifting up the awkward atmosphere between them. "I have oxidizing sweat. My palms can secrete acidic sweat with combustive and explosive properties. If I rubbed it together…" His rubbed his palms together, creating a small explosion. Ryuuji could only react in awe, complimenting him in his own way.

"I wonder how our children will have their quirks…" Masaru mumbled, turning to him, "Oh, what's your quirk…?"

Ryuuji stopped, his smile dropped. Rubbing the back of his head, he tried to urge out a sheepish smile and answered, "W-Well… I am quirkless…"

If Masaru could jump off the roof, build his own graveyard and burry himself alive he will do it. RIGHT NOW. He opened up a sensible topic to him, instead of lifting up the awkward atmosphere between them, he made it more awkward.

"S-Sorry!" Masaru apologized, bowing his head a bit.

Ryuuji tried to calm him down by protesting that he didn't need to apologize every single time. But still, it made him really guilty about opening a sour topic. Ryuuji smiled at him, "W-Well, is it okay to open up something?" Masaru nodded in satisfaction.

As Ryuuji chuckled at his expression, he began his story. At a very young age, he aspired to become a hero. A hero that has courage to help the people around them in their own selfless ways. But, his dreams began crashing down when he happened to be quirkless that's why his family deemed him to be a good-for-nothing guy. Being quirkless means that you're weightless, meaningless and a trash of society, and has been treated differently for being not extraordinary. He was bullied and somehow, he found himself getting depress. Things got rough with him since he is quirkless, and the people around him turned a blind eye to what he is capable off. It is hard to find a work that will make an everyday living considering that they needed someone who is capable enough.

But then, he chose not to give up on his dreams but then ends up being a civil servant. People might ask what does being a civil servant having to do in helping people. But, helping people isn't limited with having flashy quirks, saving the people in front of many spectators and many more. People can be a hero in their own ways. Civil servants can help people by organizing, maintaining policies and stuff. Even if he didn't become a hero, even if he is quirkless, he helped people and that's being a hero.

Ryuuji grinned from ear to ear, "I know it's long and boring but… I'm happy for who I am. Though, it's sad that I didn't become whom I wanted to be but I got Taira and my daughter so I'm glad."

 _He is already a hero though… He is the hero of his own wife and daughter…_

A scream echoed within the premises; presumably a boy. Then, after a few minutes, a scream joined and both eyes jolted to each other.

"Mr. Bakugou!"

"Mr. Aragaki!"

Two nurses emerge from two opposite doors, calling out their names. The two men stood up from their seats, seemingly nervous of their won fates. The nurses smiled, simultaneously declaring, "Congratulations! You are a father from now on."

A single tear slid down to Ryuuji's face, stopping for a moment as he couldn't comprehend the words in his mouth. Happiness fills his heart. And his companion beside him tapped his shoulders, reassuring him that he felt the same as well.

"Mrs. Bakugou is currently resting."

"As well as, Mrs. Aragaki."

The nurses announced in unison, "You can now visit your babies in the nursery room."

They nodded, quickly heading off to the nursery room. When they arrived, they began to scan their cute babies from the larger glass that's hindering them to touch their cute ones. Masaru's baby is resting in a blue towel, with crimson eyes that is etching in pure determination while Ryuuji's daughter is resting on a pink one, having his purple resilient eyes.

"Have you thought of a name, Masaru-san?" Ryuuji asked.

Masaru smiled, "Katsuki…"

"Hm?"

"His name will be Katsuki, Bakugou Katsuki." Masaru grinned, continuing, "Written with kanji for 'victory', as he emerged victorious from his child birth. How about yours?"

Ryuuji glanced from a nearby window where some cherry blossom petals continued to fly within the clear blue sky; hinting him for a name. _It is spring…_ He turned his head to him, and smiled from the bottom of his heart.

"Chiharu… Aragaki Chiharu…"

* * *

 _In the 20th of April…_

 _Two kids tied in an undeniable fate were born…_

 _Born in the same day..._

 _Born in the same hospital..._

 _As if it's a miracle, these two little kids will conquer the word within their own hands._

* * *

Author's Note:

This took a great amount of time! Anyway, thank you very much for reading up until the end. I hope you love my OCs and their interaction as well. Please comment down your thoughts about this chapter and some future suggestions if you want. I would love to hear from you! Thank you very much. :D (Title might change)


	2. Chapter 2: Haru & Kacchan

Chapter 2: Haru and Kacchan

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for the uplifting comments! It made me strive to write more chapters and boost my over-all creativity. I hope that you'll be supporting this fanfic up until the end :D Heads up, this will be a rollercoaster ride and I'm glad I will be riding it with all of you.

So, a bit reminder for this chapter: this chapter will focus solely to the realization that he wants to become a hero, as well as, his relationship with his same-birthday-friend; Chiharu. This chapter is dedicated upon building their relationship before they met Izuku : Without further ado, I present you chapter 2! Have fun!

* * *

(Bakugou)

 ** _"You surely suited to be a villain than to be a hero, huh?"_**

 _When people say things about me, I become even more like the things they say. But is that really true? The real me wants something. No one sees who I really wanted to be. No one sees who I really am. No one sees who Bakugou Katsuki really is and what I am capable of. All they did was to praise me for what I have done, for what I've did great. Somehow, along the way, I become like that, who strives to be the best of all the things. But what bothers me is that no one knows what I truly felt... I want someone to understand... I want someone to know... I want so-_

"Katsuki?"

I snapped out of my train of thoughts, as a pair of purple eyes sneak upon me. Her short wavy petrol-blue hair tickling over her neck and as expected she is in my room again. This girl beside me is Aragaki Chiharu; the only person whom I really tolerate. She's been with me ever since we're born _literally;_ we're born on the same date and on the same hospital. But, even though I tolerate her, I don't really consider her as a friend. If our parents were best friends then we're not. Quite amusing, isn't it?

"What are you doing?" She asks, glancing onto the notebook upon my desk with some random scribbles of my raging thoughts. When I come to notice that she's invading my personal space, I grudgingly shove away my notebook, or so-called diary, onto one of my drawers. Shifting my chair to have a focal view of her frail and small body, I retorted as I crossed my arms onto my chest, "It's none of your business, Haru."

She sheepishly smiled at me, scratching the back of her hair, "I guess...? Anyway Katsuki, want to play outside?" But as much as to her excitement, I shook my head. I, the great Bakugou Katsuki, playing with bunch of extras? Pffft, no way. Jumping off my seat, I plopped onto my bed with a stash of hero magazines on my hand; completely ignoring the girl in my room. Well, this action will tell her to get out of my room. If this won't get her, then she's dumb. Flipping another page of my magazine, as I continuously ignored her presence, finally I heard footsteps heading out to the door and closed it with a loud bang. Upon hearing her exit, I sighed in relief that finally I was able to get the nuisance.

Silence took over my room with only the shuffling of the pages were heard. But not long ago, my eyes began to slowly close bit by bit, it's heavy with sleepiness, and I was just pulling my covers to myself when my bedroom door slammed open.

"Wha-?"

"Katsuki!"

It's Haru.

"Let's play!" She ran furiously towards me with a huge grin to her features, then immediately jumped above me, and landed right on top of me. Embarrassed? Happy? Angry? At that time, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to feel or what expression I would let out. I didn't know what to think. And I think that my brain suddenly have a system failure over the turn of events. Suddenly, she squished me to her arms, showering me with tight hugs, towering me with every energy she had. As if she's a broken-recorder, she repeatedly begged to play with me for over a hundred times. Her spontaneous nagging to me reminds me of my old hag a while ago and now, I would really hate her for it.

"Got it! Just got to play with those extras, right? Now, get off me!" I shove her with all the energy I could gather within me and she rolled over the side of my bed. With a huge smile on her lips, as if she is the sun itself, she sighed, "Katsuki is finally going to go out of his house!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, scowling at her in all places.

She answered back, "It's seems like you're always by yourself!" Declaring that bold statement which made me flinched in return, she crawled to my current place, and placed both of her hands to my cheeks, her eyebrows furrowing, "You don't have to hide it on your own. If you don't want to tell it to anyone, then tell it to me. I am always by your side ever since we're born you know."

My crimson eyes darted onto the sight of fiery determined purples eyes of her. It felt like every being of me is melting within her gaze. Supposedly, her words somehow gives out something warm and light-something that I could hold onto. What's this called? Hope, I think...

Then, for a split second, I got this epiphany that I somehow began to get out-of-character. So, I got this urged to nudge both of her arms away from me and stood up from my seat, avoiding her piercing gaze that's poking out holes at the back of my head. Hence, I tried to brush off those moments a while ago and proceeded with a question that I've been willingly wanted to ask for a couple of times.

"Oi, Haru. You have friends, right?" I asked, my back still facing her.

"Huh? I don't have one." She deadpanned.

"Then, who are we going to play with, huh?" I retorted back, this time I turned around and faced her earnestly in my own way.

"I didn't say that we're going to play with someone!" Her features soften from my words, but then added, "My only friend is Katsuki."

Okay... She's a bit right but nevertheless, this doesn't stop me from questioning her intentions-to the real reason why she's bugging me all the time.

"Then, why me? With that personality, you sure can hog some friends. Plus..." I paused, rolling out this honest words out of my mouth, "We're not even friends to begin with!"

She sat straight, her eyebrows furrowed to my answer nevertheless, she didn't frown nor cry. She didn't show any emotions of disappointment or frustration despite my brutal rejection of her camaraderie. All she can give is a sheepish smile to me, "I see, that's what I am to Katsuki."

* * *

One thing that reminds me of Aragaki Chiharu is the annoying pesky sun that shines so brightly to the people around her. Her presence seems to make people smile and feel better of themselves. Just like a radiating ball of hope, if someone happen to be near her every sadness and dumb thoughts stuck in that person's brain will be washed with just her words and that irritating smile.

On the other hand, Bakugou Katsuki, in short the great me, is described by the people around us as a troublesome kid. As such people tend to jump into conclusions that I am the bad kid when I should be the good one. They will always root for the other side without knowing the whole situation. No one's there when I needed them. People tend to look down on me and I hated that.

We're completely different; a ying yang, a complete different sides of a coin. But somehow, I couldn't fathom that as much as we're really a huge contrast to each other, it felt like some huge force is forcing us to be together. It's like someone or something is dictating us that we would stick together like a glue no matter what happens. Preferably, I wanted to stay away from that loud mouth but she just kept on barging onto my life without any permission at all. And certainly, I wouldn't hate that...?

Haru told me to meet her at the playground were we used to hang out. Even though I wanted to leave her hanging and make her learn her lesson to stop bothering me, something just won't fit in to me. I never saw her get sad nor frown at all, indeed a ball of sunshine, but I won't go through matters just to see her frown. I may be a jerk but not a complete asshole. Walking sluggishly with both of my hands buried deep in the pocket of my baggy jeans, I happen to get a glimpse of Haru talking to some boys; seemingly pleading. And to my fast instincts, I hid onto some wall behind them.

"Hey, can Katsuki be part of your circle?" Haru asked, and I found it dishearteningly. Do I look like someone begging for attention? Do I look like I needed friends? And to top it all, friends with these side characters? Scowling onto the scenario, I buried my gaze to them while I tried to swallow my anger within me. I don't need them to begin with.

 _"Huh? The troublesome kid of the neighborhood? No way!"_

 _"His actions are unforgivable! Look here little thwart, we are only making friends to the people who wants to be heroes!"_

 _"That's right, we don't need villains in the first place!"_

A villain...? Me...? What a laughing joke, I could make these people eat their own shits in a split second. If I were Haru, I wouldn't really give a shit or two to some extras. In the first place, I don't really need them at all. I'm used to be called a villain for my attitude, but who cares? Then, something really picked my interest when I saw Haru not really in her usual phase.

"Katsuki isn't a villain..." She mumbled, pursuing her lips together, "Katsuki isn't a villain!"

 _"Then, what do you call him then?"_

 _"Only the word villain suits him well!"_

"Katsuki is..." She paused, clenching her tiny fists in frustration and her eyes burning in fury, "Take back what you've said! Katsuki isn't a villain!"

And in a split second, she threw herself to one of the guys and pinned him to the ground. Then her fists began to rumble down to the boy who kept on struggling on her grasps. The other boys began to pull her out of him and really didn't hold back at all even though she's a girl. They planted fists all over, and I could see her yelp in pain. Despite being overwhelmed by numbers, she tried to stagger to her own feet, her teeth gritted and fought them back squarely.

Meanwhile, I am here letting a girl defend me. This is utter disgrace. Quivering to the sight of Haru getting beat up by these kids who declared they're heroes when in fact they seemingly suit to be called villains, I gnash my teeth together. What is she even doing? Acting like she is tough, she is a girl for god's sake! A fragile girl who couldn't even stand up with these 3 or 5 extras! Why is she even defending me? She's not even my friend! I made it clear that she's not my friend. I already told her that but... why is she going to an extent in doing this?

 _"Where is your hero now, little missy?"_

 _"Maybe, that villain got scared and run off?"_

 _"Wait, are they even friends to begin with?"_

Haru is lying on the ground, sprawled out on the concrete ground, she clutched onto her stomach as there are bruises marked over her body. For some reasons, I could feel myself agitated when I see her in that state. To me, Haru is there, tolerating my good-for-nothing butt. Even though, I rejected her numerous of times, even though I took her for granted. Just like that annoying guzzling sun, she still surprised me with that warm attitude.

"Katsuki is my only friend!" She stood up, her knees wobbly but still manages to shine the way she can, "Even though, he doesn't consider me one. A normal person won't ever understand him! He is the only one who... who is there when no one else was! To me... to me..." She stuttered but spat out her remaining words, "Katsuki is my hero!"

 _Damn it!_

My body move at its own accord. Everything like it was going in slow motion. Then, I didn't realize that I jumped between Haru and the kid, blocking away his fist with one of my palm. Panting aggressively, I tried to look at the corner of my eye and saw Haru bleeding and with purple patches all over her features. She was grotesque. Her appearance is awful. When I saw her like that, something break me, I couldn't forgive Haru for devising a plan to make me have friends, I couldn't forgive these brats who beat the crap out of her and lastly, I couldn't forgive myself when there's someone who evidently cares for me and took her for granted.

"You called for me, Haru?" I smirked evilly to these kids, who began to feel chill down to their spine.

"Katsuki!" She smiled despite her condition, and because of that smile all hell break loose.

* * *

In the end, I manage to defeat those weaklings who ran off as soon as I threatened them not to get closer to Haru at any cost. But even though we manage to garner the victory our parents scolded us for being such a hoodlum for a young age. My pesky mother scolded me at first, telling me that I'm the one who started it but in the end Haru straightly acknowledge what I did. And, it's the first time ever when someone acknowledges me for what I did; behind the bad acts comes the good acts. We were asked to stay in my room after treating the bruises that we had. Despite the dispute and bruises, as if she has a strong personality, Haru never cried.

And now, because of her words a while ago, I am guilty of telling her she's not my friend. Haru is the only person who tolerate the brash and violent me. She's the only one who treated me fairly. She's the only one who kept on listening to my never-ending stories. Haru is definitely the only one.

Currently, our eyes are glued onto the television where All Might is getting interviewed and there are some action-pack scenes wherein he defeated numerous of villain. As expected, All Might is cool, he defeated every villain without ever losing. My attention were focused onto my idol; the guy that I really looked upon to.

"Hey, Katsuki!" She called.

"What?" I answered, all eyes still in the television. There's no one else in this world would ever snatch my attention when I am watching All Might; not even Mom, Dad or anybody.

"Be a hero!"

Those three words made me snapped out of my consciousness, my crimson eyes met her sparkling purple orbs and those were enough reasons for me to jolt my eyes from my all time favorite superhero just to see this person by my side. My eyes widened, my cheeks began to redden as she dig holes onto my eyes.

 _Be a hero?_

I've been used to be calling like a villain. And I thought that I couldn't be a hero because of the way I do things. I always win everything and I am good at everything but people kept telling me that I am suited to be a villain. It all came crushing down when she uttered something that would really change my whole being-my whole existence and my whole ideals in life. It wasn't my mom, my dad or a random stranger who told me to pursue what I truly wanted to be; It's Aragaki Chiharu.

"Katsuki always wins! You're so cool when you are helping people in need and be good at everything! And Katsuki is something that fits in to be a hero! Since, heroes always win, right? You've always told me that."

 _ **Dug. Dug. Dug.**_

SHUT THE HELL UP HEART OR SHE'LL PROBABLY HEAR YOUR IDIOCY! WHAT IS EVEN GOOD TO THIS DUMB GILRL ANYWAY!?

"Katsuki always saves me at the right moment, at the right timing. You will always be there. Even though, people told you bad things that doesn't mean you're bad, right? You're not just good at telling your feelings. Well, I know I'm always rushing to things like a while ago... I knew that in instant that..."

I stared at her utterly confused by her unfinished statement. Haru placed both of her hands onto my arms, flashing me her toothy grin that I'm fond to look at. Her cheeks brought out a tad red, continuing her unfinished statement, _"Katsuki will protect me at any cost, right?"_

 _ **Dug. Dug. Dug. Dug.**_

I stooped my head for a bit, averting my gaze from the little girl in front of me. Bit by bit, I could feel my heart thumping vigorously from my chest. Her words, somehow, made me weightless. Why is that her words soothe me so much? Whenever I'm with her, it feels that all my surrounding began to blur; only refocusing to her mere existence.

"Katsuki?"

"Why me? Why am I your friend? Even though, I rejected you."

"Huh? There's no need for you to ask..." She grinned sheepishly, and I turned my attention to her; seeing a spark in her eyes.

"Katsuki is a great person! Plus..." She paused, "It's more fun when we're together!"

It hit me. How do I deserve this person? How do I deserve her kindness? Eventually guilt filled my heart, and I buried my face into my palms, trying to speak clearly to her.

"I take back what I've said a while ago."

"Huh?"

"We're friends already, from the moment we're born on the same day and on the same hospital." I paused, smirking at her sight, "I'm your friend, Haru. Be grateful!"

For a while, she bit her lower lip, as if trying to make the tears on her eyes stop from rolling down to her cheeks, "Yes! Plus, Katsuki! Oh wait, I want a nickname for you!" She paused for a moment and added, "Kacchan!"

"What? And what's with that Kacchan, huh? That's disgusting!"

"It's cute! Anyway, you don't need to hold back to what you're feeling. I am here. I am your ally, no matter what happens so always be yourself!" She declared, and instantly my blush covered up my whole face. I tried to avoid her soothing gaze onto me for a bit, trying to process every word she stated. I am ridiculously happy for now.

Tightening my fist together, I faced her, replying to her words, "I've decided!"

"What?"

"I will become the greatest hero! Greater than the symbol of peace, All Might! Then, I will save your sorry butt at all times so…"

"So?"

"Don't you dare leave my side!" I exclaimed proudly but then for a second, refuse to look at her round face. I couldn't even take a glance to her. My heart felt weird, like it was raging in excitement.

"Then, I will become a hero as well." She cheered as well, clearing all my resolution that I just exclaimed.

"W-What!? Don't go copying my goal!" I yelped in frustration, gritting my teeth to the turn of events.

"Because, Kacchan always saves me but who else will save you? That's why, when you're in trouble I will be the one who will save you!" With that huge smile plastered on her features, it seems that the sun is fitting with the atmosphere that we currently have.

"Huh? You, protect me? No way, with your puny body. You can't! Also, stop calling me Kacchan already!"

"I can!"

"You can't!"

"I can!"

"You can't!"

"I can! I will support your dream to be the greatest hero! I will never… I will never leave your side! We will always be together, Kacchan!" Puffing her cheeks, together with her public declaration, there's a warmth feeling tugging my heartstrings. How dare she…

"No matter what happens?" I mumbled under my breath, avoiding her gaze.

"Yeah, no matter what!"

The happiness is infectious. It starts as a tingle in my fingers and toes, much like the feeling I have when I'm anxious, but instead of worrisome it's warm. I feel it pass through me like a warm ocean wave, washing away the stress of my day to leave me refreshed inside. As the wave fades I savor the memory of its gentle touch. Continuously, I've been drawn onto her positive outlook in my life. _She's my sunshine._

I really have this pent-up energy. I was really just waiting for a spark... to make me explode. Somehow, along the way, I stared half-believing that crazy story. Aragaki Chiharu saw right through me. She saw something inside that I couldn't get out and knew we were kindred spirits.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for reading! Comment down your thoughts :D It will be my pleasure to read it all, thank you very much! Sorry if Katsuki is OOC, I tried LOL

EDIT: I'll be drawing some artworks and fanarts of the Aragaki family, Katsuki and Chiharu's friendship and such so look forward for more!


	3. Chapter 3: Rainy Day Promise

Chapter 3: Rainy Day Promise

* * *

Author's Note:

I couldn't even think of anything right now. At first, I though that this story will not garner that much attention but with the huge amount of support I got in this fanfic put me into a tight spot. I am totally grateful for all your positive comments in this fanfic. It serves as my driving force to continue in putting more ideas to this fanfic. And I swear that I will do my best to repay you with great contents each chapter.

* * *

Recently, there's this new neighbor that just moved a couple blocks away from the Aragaki family. And as a sign of camaraderie and respect, Taira and Ryuuji decided to check upon the said new neighbor. Both of her parents thought that by visiting the new neighbor Chiharu will be able to develop her mind in a young age.

"Chiharu, today we're going to visit the new neighbor! So, get up and get dressed and we will be leaving soon." Taira told her calmly, patting the head of her daughter. Upon hearing her mother's words, she rushed to her bedroom and change out some suitable clothes for their visit.

So, dressed into her finest clothing consisting of a purple blouse, white leggings and rubber shoes; they headed towards the house of their new neighbor, ringing the bell exactly two times, and waited, anxious smiles plastered on their faces. Finally, just when never-give-up Taira was about to concede and admit there's no one was going to answer the door, it swung open, revealing a slim woman who has green short hair with a ponytail on the left. Ryuuji stepped up in front of Layla to extend his hand for a firm hand shake. The neighbor took it, clearly still disturbed by our sudden visit.

"Hello neighbor!" Ryuuji welcomed, in his own happy-go-lucky way, after he let go of her hand, "Welcome to the neighborhood, We're the Aragaki's. My name is Ryuuji, this is my wife Taira and this is my daughter Chiharu."

It was only after Chiharu was mentioned that the woman moved. Her surprised expression suddenly turned into a soft smile, and she asked me, "How old are you?"

She mustered all of her courage to beam out a smile as well, "I'm four!"

Taira cleared her throat, and greeted the man, "Hi, I'm Taira. Pardon for the sudden visit, we just wanted to greet our new neighbor. Well, if you don't mind, we brought you some cupcakes that I baked."

The woman took the pastry in her hands, "Thank you! You're not a bother, in fact I'm grateful that I know someone-"

Suddenly, a boy with an All Might suit came running towards the door screaming like he is such in a hurry, "Suuupeeeeeerr Aaaaaaaaaaaall Miiiiiiiiiiiight has arriv-" he reached onto the legs of the woman with a full-bloom smile on his face but then stopped when he saw some unfamiliar strangers, mainly the Aragaki family within the door step. They all have blank faces plastered within their features because they don't know what kind of expression they could make upon seeing the epic entrance of the cute green bean right in front of them; cute is the first word that formed within their minds. The little boy's instincts reacted, hiding onto the hem of her mothers skirt, and is about to burst out some tears.

"W-Who are you?" The boy mumbled, trying his best to stand straight after encountering them.

"So-Sorry for that, well, it's just my son. He's four years old just like your daughter that's why I asked for her age since he doesn't have any friends within this neighborhood and I don't want him to lock himself within the house so I thought he needs someone to accompany him." She explained, clearing her throat she continued, "B-By the way, sorry for the late introduction, I am Midoriya Inko and this is my son Midoriya Izuku." Inko opened the door a little wider, gesturing them to come inside.

They were lead inside the living room, and was offered to make themselves at home. They sat on the opposite sofa next to Izuku to avoid some awkward atmosphere since he is obviously about to cry in his position. Inko prepared the necessary utensils as well as the cupcake into the table, quietly and smoothly. Although, their family is nonchalant and relaxed, Izuku wasn't and will never be.

After setting the desserts, she plopped down to the sofa next to Izuku and smiled at him, "Sorry for my son's actions he is not that good with people."

"That's okay, in fact, our little Chiharu here is kind of an introvert as well." Taira explained, helping herself now in the cupcakes she brought to the Midoriyas, "Even though, she is good in communicating with people, I don't understand why she only sticks with her friend beside us."

"Oh, I guess Izuku isn't alone." Inko sighed, reassuring herself with the possible. While the adults are discussing more like talking about their lives, Izuku split out of the group and head towards his father's room. His eyes jolted onto the video that is currently playing in the computer; instantly, his eyes gleamed. Seeing his favorite hero, carrying civilians within his back with a smile really makes him rejuvenated and inspired. Luckily, the video is on repeat so with his tiny feet, he gathered the courage to climb upon the chair and sat down to it. A smile made it's way into Izuku's features, reenacting All Might's famous line.

He stood onto his chair, puffed his cheeks, put his hands to his hips and declared, "Ha! Ha! Ha! It's fine now! Why? Because I-"

"I am here!"

Someone, inevitably, stole the last few words he should be saying. He stopped midway, slowly and surely, turned his head towards the source of voice who intrude his speech. Then, his majestic green orbs reflected purple ones, cheering onto the monitor screen as well.

 _It's the f-f-f-freaking g-g-g-girl! W-Why i-i-i-is s-s-she here?_

"You like All Might?" Chiharu asked, curving out a grin towards him. Meanwhile, Izuku turned into a solid rock, he froze, and anytime he could crumble down by the fiery gaze of Chiharu down to his core. Of course with that reaction, she couldn't help but be worried, so with both of her arms she tried to hop onto the arm rest and carry her own her weight; her face meeting his with only a few inches apart, "Are you okay?"

 _Beep! Beep!_

 _System Error._

 _Error 404: Midoriya Izuku not found._

 _Midoriya Izuku rebooting in a few seconds._

"W-W-W-W-W-W-Waaaaaah!" Izuku couldn't process his mind, it felt like there's a huge error occurring to him that he didn't know what to do next. Bit by bit, his cheeks flushed deep red within his features, his teeth continued to gnash furiously and he is frozen stiff. Because of failure to register the current happenings , he didn't noticed that one of his foot is within the edge of the chair. From the corner of her eye, she noticed how dangerous Izuku's foot currently is and decided to warn him, "Hey! It's not a good idea to move!"

"H-H-Huh? Wh-what are you sa-" His foot moved towards the edge, and eventually slipped out from the chair. Yelping in fear, his environment began to slow down, he couldn't think of anything but to reach out over Chiharu's extended hand to him, and when he was about to reach for it everything went black.

 _Thud!_

After a few minutes, Izuku wakes up from his fall. Somehow it didn't really hurt though but tears were still evident to his eyes due to being scared of his life. He heard his mother's voice from the living room, asking if he's okay. Wiping out his tears from his eyes, he answered back with 'I'm fine!' as he rose to his feet. Dusting off the dusts to his All Might suit, he began to look over Chiharu, who disappeared when he fall. All of a sudden someone squeak behind him, his pure green eyes averted to the source of the sound and saw her lying on the ground with some dust all over her face. She quickly sat straight, combing her disheveled hair, spotting him uninjured by the fall she curved out a smile to her features.

"I'm glad you're okay, I thought you're a goner..." She said in relieved.

Her current state and her words made Izuku realized something. At that moment, he rewind back to the thoughts of his fall and the reason that he isn't hurt at all. Understanding what Chiharu has done for him, he nearly screamed to his mind on how she saved him from the fall by cushioning herself to him. The mess that he did made him panic all over again, though the petrol-blue haired girl realized that Izuku is an introverted kid who is frightened in every situation he is in, she tried to calm his horses down by reassuring him that she is fine.

"I'm okay!" She declared, standing up with her legs shakily.

Izuku nearly cried for the girl's state but hearing her reassuring him calms him. But then, something tick him; Chiharu is a girl and a stranger plus he never talks to people other than his father or mother at all. As if he is a fast raging cheetah, he found himself retreating his feet away from Chiharu.

"W-W-W-W-Why are you here?" He stuttered, but still trying his best to inquire.

She glanced onto the monitor to see All Might fighting some villains while rescuing some civilians with that big smile in his face. Upon watching the Pro Hero in action, she tried to sway Izuku from his comfort zone. Her attention is still onto the monitor, she began to speak up as she analyzed things, "All Might is truly amazing, right? He can save people with a smile and he always wins!"

"That's right, All Might is truly amazing with all that punch and kicks he can save tons of people with a smile!" Izuku responded in pure hype. Praising All Might is a great choice. Now Izuku is all pent-up in talking about his favorite hero without minding that she is a complete stranger to him. As time passes by, she finds herself sharing the computer chair with him as he cheerfully points out All Might's techniques and stuff. Listening to his endless rambling, she began to recall someone that she really knows that likes All Might as well.

"Someday, I'll be a hero!" Izuku declared, standing up from his seat and waving his closed fist up all high. She cheered as well, heaving a loud 'Yeah!' to him. Then, he sat down again, continuing his conversation with her, completely forgetting about his fear of strangers.

"Hey, what's your favorite hero?" He asks, ogling his eyes to her as if he wanted her to say that she likes All Migh but in fact she didn't. Unlike Katsuki or Izuku, she never gets herself involve with heroes. It's like she's never that into heroes; she just wanted to help people with a courageous heart and save them, that's all. For her, that question surprised her.

"Does Mom and Dad count?" She asks, but Izuku shakes his head.

He corrected, "Nope, you know, strong people who saves people from the bad guys?"

She pondered on his thought. _Strong people saving people from the bad guys?_ Her mind wandered into a certain someone who meant the world for her. She smiled to her own thoughts, of course that's got to be that person. No pro hero will ever be match with that person.

"I really can't wait to have a quirk!" Izuku excitingly informed her, then continued, "You know what, Mom's quirk is something like floating objects like that? A-And then, my dad can breathe fire! Isn't it amazing? He's like a dragon. What about your parents?"

She answered, "My mom said that her clan has mental powers. For her, she can move and float objects as well?"

"You're mom is amazing! How about your dad?"

She paused, giving out a sad smile but nevertheless replied, "My dad doesn't have a quirk..." When she stated that, Izuku's smile dropped and Chiharu began to panic for a bit. Various negative thoughts flooded her mind; what if he began to bad-mouth his dad? What if he turns away from her? Her efforts are going to be wasted, so much for baiting All Might to make him her friend.

"It's okay! Your dad is amazing!"

Chiharu snapped out of her thoughts, obviously shocked from his reactions. Usually, when she says about her dad's situation, everyone begins to avoid and breaks their friendship. The reason why she only has Katsuki because children tend to think that her father is a good-for-nothing-a trash to the society. And they began to jump into conclusions that she won't be having a quirk as well, and that's making her sad. So she hid the truth from Katsuki, she is afraid that her only friend will despise her for her current family state. Chiharu never blames her dad because of that, she blames the society's discrimination with quirkless people and that's what she's going to prove when she's already a hero.

"Huh?"

"Because, he raises a great girl like you, that's already enough, right?"

But, Midoriya Izuku is different. He is different from these people. Despite his love for heroes, he never discriminates quirkless people and with that, Chiharu feels like Izuku is has a heartwarming and a kind soul to soothe other's pain; thinking that he will become one of the person she'll cherish the most. She won't let this great opportunity to lost so she decided to introduce him to her only friend, adding him to her circle of friends, "I will introduced you to someone that reminds me of you."

"H-Huh?"

She replied happily, "I will introduce you to my friend! You see, he also likes heroes especially All Might! And guess what, he also wants to be a hero!

"H-Hero?" His eyes are engulfed by the beauty of her purple orbs, capturing every fiber of his being.

She hurled down his arms down from the chair and leads him to the living room where the adults are. Though, she didn't noticed, Izuku is completely blushing up to his ears it's his first time getting so chummy with a little girl.

"Mom, Dad! Izuku and I are going to play with Kacchan!" She declared, holding a tomato-head Izuku with her. The adults noticed this and giggled to the sight on how bold Chiharu is. They let them go and she proceeded to drag him out of his house furiously. While they're running down the round, hands still intertwined, she spoke up, "My name is Chiharu, Izuku!"

He slightly consumed the thought of her name in his brain; following her raging footsteps. In the middle of the road, she abruptly stopped, making him stumbled for a bit onto her back; letting out a loud _oof!_ She turned to him, this time holding both of his hand and he couldn't think straight at all.

"Thank you for those words a while ago! Ummm..." Chiharu paused, pondering upon a nickname for Izuku. As if there's a wild light bulb appearing above her head, she declared, "Let's be friends, Izu-chan!"

"E-E-Eh? Is it okay?" He clarified, still not believing that she called her 'Izu-chan' and offering her to be friends with him.

"Yeah!"

Izuku brought out a large smile to his features, he nodded in delight and squeezed her hands in return. Then, a wild idea popped within his mind, if Chiharu decided to call him by some nickname, as friends he can call her something, right? Without thinking much of these things, he began to call her with the name he thought of.

"Chi-chan!"

He instantly regretted to speak out his thoughts that very moment. Muttering some undeniable excuses to her, Chiharu simply brushed it off with a smile and answered his call, "Did you call for me, Izu-chan?" Oh, she liked that cute nickname that this little cinnamon role devised.

"Hey, are you going to go to preschool?" She asked, cocking her head to the side so that the image of Izuku is turned a little. After a moment, he tilted his head as well, giving the thumbs up.

She straightened herself, and Izuku followed suit, staring as she clapped her hands in delight. Except for Katsuki, she is glad to have one more person to join her troupe and joining the same learning center that she is enrolled in, so she rattled the next question ecstatically.

"Morning or afternoon?"

"M-Mo-Mo-"

"Oi, Haru!"

Chiharu and Izuku followed the source of the unknowingly voice from afar and saw Katsuki gripping a net, and on his hips there's a little cage for beetles. Squinting from his position, he saw Chiharu with someone that he didn't recognize at all. Then something triggered him that really pissed him off, this sort of bushy-green broccoli is holding Chiharu's hand. He never even hold her hands for that long! If he could, he wanted to shove him out off the way and save her from this unfamiliar boy.

Katsuki gave out a loud harrumph, stomping to their place as he scowled angrily to him where in return, Izuku flinched onto his seat and hide behind Chiharu. His actions made the ash-blonde angrier- _how dare that evil broccoli gets so close with Haru!?_

"Oi Haru!" Katsuki called, digging holes to Izuku which made him cower in fear; clutching over Chiharu's blouse while muttering some sutras to keep him away from this evil-like boy. Nevertheless, the ash-blonde continued, "Who is this guy? Why are you getting chummy with him?!"

"What do you mean getting chummy?" Chiharu asked, tilting her head in utter confusion.

"You-!" He stopped, his ears bleaching in red, there's no way he'll tell her that he's so mad about her holding that stranger's hand even him haven't gotten that close before to her. Stuttering and gathering some appropriate words to word out his feelings without really truly telling her what he really feels, Chiharu decided to shrugged his reasoning off and decided to tell him what she really came, "Kacchan, you see, I met him a while ago and be friends with him. So, I have decided to let him in our circle, right Izu-chan?"

 _"Izu-chan!?"_ Katsuki nearly gauged out his eyeballs to this so called 'Izu-chan', glaring at him furiously as Izuku nearly cried to his spot right now.

"C-Chi-c-chan, I'm scared..." He muttered under his breath, trying to avoid the menacing gaze of Katsuki.

 _"Chi-chan!?"_ He nearly vomit those weird nickname of Chiharu when he heard it. He gave her some cute nickname for her! Not that he'll admit it, okay? Haru is better, Haru is cuter and Chii-chan is disgusting, okay?! This broccoli guy over here gives him the bad vibes and somehow he really hated his guts already. Is it because he is somehow close to Chiharu and might steal her from him? Oh, scratch that, Chiharu isn't that important...right? He wanted to reject her offer, he really wanted him but the way she beams out a 'looking forward' mood as well as that annoying puppy eyes that he never gets to say no is sticking him out.

"Please?" She pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes and flashing those purple eyes.

"F-Fine, I got it a-already!" As if he is hypnotized by that one-word that she rolled out her tongue, he averted his gaze from her dazzling features, trying to hide the blush to his face. She cheered, pulling out both their hands, he made the two boys handshake surprisingly.

"Bakugou Katsuki meet Midoriya Izuku! Midoriya Izuku meet Bakugou Katsuki!" She smiled, pressing their hands together.

"Listen, Kacchan! Izu-chan has the time in the preschool as we have! We will be truly together, right?!"

"Argh, if you say so."

* * *

Two months later, Izuku is puffing and puffing out air at the top of his lungs; trying to catch up with Chiharu and Katsuki as they tried to go to something that may shield them from the droplets of rain from the sky. Suddenly, a large boom sounded from overhead. Izuku tripped a little, but Chiharu managed to catch him before he fall flat on his face.

"You're so slow, Izuku! It's beginning to sprinkle heavily." He groaned, crossing his arms and glaring at him.

"S-S-Sorry, Ka-Kacchan..."

"Geez, Kacchan. Don't be a jerk, especially when it's all your fault we didn't get to play." Chiharu rolled her eyes, puffing her cheeks to him in exchange. Katsuki scowled a bit to her then ignored her statement, as if he CAN hit her or something but something is stopping him from doing so. Suddenly, the light sprinkles turned into heavy droplets of rain, and they stood there in amazement as the drizzling become a downpour.

"I stand corrected," Katsuki said through clenched teeth, "It's not beginning to sprinkle... it's already pouring."

This warned them that they might miss their opening day tomorrow at the Preschool, so they hurried and take shelter to a nearby huge stockroom from afar. Luckily, it's deserted and there's no sign of any people owning it as it is really empty.

"Great." He moaned, sliding to the ground, the two followed suit, shaking droplets of rain from their clothes. Chiharu's clothes clung heavily, and she began to shiver relentlessly. She tried to hid it from the two to avoid making them worry, stifling the noisy chatter of her teeth.

"C-Come cl-closer, C-Chi-chan." Izuku stuttered, directing her, "Y-You're cold, right?"

"Well, you're cold too, Izu-chan." She said reproachfully, but the bite in her answer was eaten away by the clattering of her teeth against each other.

"Will you two stop flirting in front of me? It's gross."

 _Katsuki is not jealous. Katsuki is not jealous._ He isn't jealous at all! He isn't jealous how she scooted over Izuku's wet shoulder, the nerd Izuku blushing heavily and how she makes it so enjoyable between the two of them. _He is here! Notice him!_ Honestly, if she is not here he might pushed him out of this stock room right now. Sighing from the turn of events as it is making him annoying, his eyes wandered all over the corners of the room. The place isn't bad at all. It only needs general cleaning then it will be useful again. Abruptly, a wild tinge of idea appeared to him, his eyes jolted to the two people shivering, "Hey, I got an idea!"

"Hm?"

"If we become heroes then we needed an agency right?"

Izuku nodded enthusiastically, making Katsuki continue, "Then, this stock can serve as our agency!"

"That's great!"

"Then the name of our agency will be the Great King Bakugou Katsuki's Hero agency!"

"Isn't that g-g-reat, Chi-"

"Wow, Kacchan! It's so lame!"

"Shut up, Haru!"

After a long moment had been filled of silence, she whispered, "Hey, Kacchan... Izu-chan..."

The two of them looked at her, furrowing their eyebrows by the sudden call of their name.

"Well, we'll be together forever, right?"

"Y-Yeah!" Izuku answered but the other boy fell silent.

He didn't answer, and she looked up indignantly, " _Right?"_

Still no reply.

"No matter what happens, we'll be together, right?"

Finally, he spoke up, "Yeah, always."

"Then, let's seal it with a pink promise!"

The boy groaned, bringing the palm to his face, "Do we got to?"

 _"Yeah, Kacchan."_

Slowly the three of them brought their pinkies and intertwined it with each other, "Pinky promise. We'll always be together forever, and stick to each other like bubblegum under the table of the stinky table of the principal."

"That's gross, you know."

We laughed for a bit then smile at each other. Then Katsuki muttered, "Yeah, like that pesky bubblegum. I'll come to your aid when you need help Haru."

"M-Me too, Chi-chan!"

 _Pitter-platter...pitter-platter..._

 _On that rainy day..._

 _On that old stock room..._

 _We made a promise..._

 _That promise seemed genuine_

 _We even made it with an official seal_

 _believing to those words_

 _believing onto their sincere smiles_

 _but day by day_

 _I have to say_

 _that promise dies..._

 _And soon, it will become nothing but..._

 _a lie..._

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading! At last, they finally met Izuku and the next chapter will be their Kindergarten shenanigans and somewhat declaration of a _world war?_ Fu, fu fu,fu who could it be? Please comment down your thoughts about this chapter. And yasssss, Taira is a psychic! Hoooraaaayyyyy!

Just to inform you guys, this isn't a normal fluffy fanfiction. These early chapters might seem really fluffy and cute but honestly, it won't, it won't be your regular BNHA fanfic ;) Also, this will be a very slow burn type of fanfic so we won't yet go to the High School premises but soon we will really be going there just keep supporting! Thank you very much.


	4. Chapter 4: Greatest Among the Rest

Chapter 4: The Greatest Among the Rest

* * *

"Chiharu! Hurry up, Katsuki-kun and Mitsuki is already here!" Taira called her from the living room.

"Coming!" Chiharu replied back, staring to her reflection onto the mirror in front of her. She was dressed into her light blue uniform, the bottom of her white dress peeking below. Her feet were in a pair of knee-length white socks. To top it all, her hair grew longer for a bit, now that her wavy petrol-blue hair reaches up to her shoulders, so she decided to wear it in a twin tail to avoid her hair being a hindrance to her daily activities.

This is her first day of Kindergarten. As a child, of course, there's a mixture of anxiousness and excitement. Putting the yellow cap onto her head, she headed downstairs to meet her parents. With a cheerful smile arching up to her lips, her little feet hurriedly run towards them and launch herself to Ryuuji.

"Is my little princess excited to go to Preschool?"

Chiharu nodded happily. The Aragaki couple smiled at each other as both of them reach upon her hands; squeezing them tight and together exited the house where Mitsuki and Katsuki is waiting. Despite the busy schedule of her parents, they tried to celebrate this milestone of their daughter with fruitfulness and smiles.

"You're late, Haru." Katsuki immediately scowled onto the sight of his childhood friend.

"Aren't you excited, Kacchan?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, he's not really excited to go to school since he couldn't go to sleep last night at all." Mitsuki snickered, rubbing the spiky ash-blonde of her son but Katsuki snapped, and shoved her hand away; trying to hide the blush forming to his cheeks, "Shut up!"

"Let's go! We might even stumble with Izu-chan!" Tugging both of her parent's hands, they walked off and headed towards the Preschool. The walk was filled with Katsuki chatting about crashing the extras and that he'll emerge victorious above all of them while Chiharu and the rest listened to him tentatively.

Along the way, they caught onto the sight of the familiar bushy-green hair kid with his mother from afar. Upon squinting onto their figures, she immediately waved her hand that is entangling with her mother and called him in glee. Izuku took notice to her voice and smiled, running towards her, although the two are sharing some kind of vibrant atmosphere. Katsuki couldn't help but let out a loud harrumph between his friends. Pouting out his cheeks onto the sight of his childhood friend with the evil broccoli getting chummy without his consent.

First of all, Izuku is only meddling onto their lives. Chiharu is supposed to join him always and he's not allowing other people get closer to her. Scowling upon them, Mitsuki couldn't help but chuckle to her son getting all so possessive with Chiharu.

"Come on, Katsuki. You're staring at them like a mad dog."

"Shut up! I am not!"

"Right. Right."

"Kacchan!" Chiharu called, snapping Katsuki from his argument with his mother; turning his attention to her, "What?"

Freeing herself from her parents hands as well as from her conversation with Izuku, she smiled with her rosy cheeks and intertwined her fingers with his and pulled him out from his zone and left the group, "Let's go!"

He had a hard time processing the turn of events and got himself riled up from her farce. He didn't even have the time to talk back and ask her about the random act of 'kindness' or whatever you call that. Watching her small frame running from the group and getting tug to their school, he let himself get pulled over by her.

Glancing upon their hands enclosed with each other, he could feel himself heat up in embarrassment and tried to argue to her sudden act; though deep inside he really liked how Chiharu gets so chummy with him. Never mind Izuku, he wanted her by himself-well not like he will admit it out loud.

It wasn't really that long enough to reach their designation. When they arrived they were introduced to their teachers.

"Chiharu! Look over here!" Ryuuji called, pointing onto the camera. With a sudden turn, she faced the camera with her full-bloomed smile up to her ears and the photo craze as Inko, Mitsuki and Taira cooed onto taking pictures to their children. It's also a perfect opportunity to take a family picture as per suggested by Inko and Mitsuki. So the Aragaki family mustered all their gracious smiles; tears are even evident onto Taira's eyes.

After taking the shot, Chiharu began to riled Izuku and Katsuki beside her; the boys letting out a loud 'oof!' upon bumping to her.

"Take a picture of us also!" As per request, Mitsuki hold out her cellphone, trying to take a good angle for the trio. The petrol-blue haired girl wrapped her arms to the boys' arms and flash out a toothy grin while Izuku has his shy smile and Katsuki who spat about being cheesy but nevertheless, stretched out a wide grin to himself.

"Alright, say cheese!"

"Cheese!"

 _And that's the last time Katsuki ever smiled with the three of them..._

* * *

Upon the course of time, Katsuki's greatness were greatly introduced to the people around him. It may be in different aspects, the ash-blonde will always ace it all; getting the 1st honor within the Preschool. He even garnered some of his 'minions' by his side now which Chiharu is happy about since her friend is no longer a loner. Although, this might be a good news for them, but the impact of such great talent turns out to be some kind of horrendous between Chiharu and him, especially Izuku.

"This is too easy!" Katsuki declared, bouncing the ball to his feet then to his knee and up to his back. Chiharu and Izuku watched in pure adoration, because of that the bushy-green boy also wanted to try bouncing the ball to his feet but instead got hit in the head.

"Ouch!" He yelped, holding his head while trying to stop his tears from falling.

 _Why can't you do it?_

"You really can't do anything, Izuku." He taunted, grinning evilly to him. Then his crimson eyes jolted to Chiharu, trying to send her signals to laugh with him with Izuku's idiotic move. But instead, got a response that he really didn't thought of. She hurriedly marched towards Izuku, propping and dusting him off; trying to comfort him.

"It's alright, Izu-chan. I can't also do it!"

Katsuki is baffled by her actions; resisting the temptation to snap the hell out of him. Seeing his 'best friend', the girl who really cared for him, the only one who understand him is comforting the dumb kid over here. His eyes immediately seethed in total fury when Chiharu began to tell him off a bit about not to laugh and ridicule him.

"Kacchan, a hero should always help others when they're in need." She stated, her eyebrows furrowing in worriedly. Her statement made him feel disgust and at the same time, wanted to throw Izuku away. He is a wimp for goodness sake! And for a girl as great as Chiharu, that wimp doesn't deserve her at all.

All of a sudden, he felt like his whole mind is burning in anger and didn't realize that he shot back to her, "Shut up, it's his fault anyway!"

"Huh?"

"Also, you're trying to make him feel good when in fact you can also do it like me!"

"But not as good as you, Izu-chan needs to learn a lot of things!"

"Blah, blah, blah! Izu-chan this and that! It's his fault anyway."

"K-Kacchan? What are you trying to say?"

 _That's right it's Izuku's fault anyway... Why can't he do it? It's so easy! Even toddlers can, so why he can't? He really can't do anything..._

 _Most likely someone who is a good-for-nothing, something like a 'Deku', from his name..._

 _Deku..._

 _He can't do anything!_

"Kaa...cha...n?"

"aa...ch...an?"

"Katsuki!"

Katsuki snapped out of his murderous intent towards his friend. His eyes linger to the girl in front of him, with his dolly purple-eyes that is piercing his crimson orbs. Then, he found himself glancing to their hands; her warm hands clutching to his, and again, squeezing the hell out of his train of thoughts.

"What?" He answered, still completely dazed to her round face.

"Kacchan is strong and great! You are really good at these things but..." She trailed off, sheepishly smiling to him, "Next time teach Izu-chan and I so that we can catch up to your greatness."

He glared harder at the petite girl, holding his hand. But the longer he studied how her majestic purple eyes peered to him, how her puffy lower lip folded under her small, pearly teeth as she smiled, the more he was suddenly overcome by some power. It felt... fuzzy and...hot. His crimson eyes softened. His tense muscles relaxed. Just one word. Just one statement from Chiharu. As if it's the oxygen that he is breathing, she's the only one who can make his rage stop. And that's what who she is to him, and he would absolutely do anything to make her stay beside him.

* * *

Day by day, Katsuki is getting greater and greater in his own space. He's excelling in academics and he's been really getting a lot of friends. But the more he's getting praised at, the more he's feeling superior to the others, especially Izuku, where Chiharu noticed the ash-blonde's development.

There's this one time that she skipped playing with Katsuki, his minions and Izuku to prepare for her birthday err-actually Katsuki and her birthday and went with Taira. And after that she can't control her emotions when she come across Izuku weeping in their secret base, with a broken bucket and a nickname that really pisses her off; Deku.

Even Izuku lied to her that she should not be worried or tell Katsuki to stop. Well, how can she believe him when she saw him trying to brush the tears away from his eyes. She's not dumb. She knows what's the meaning behind that nickname. It's frustrating her knowing that she can't tell Katsuki to stop at all, even giving that nickname, instead he'll shrug it off and quietly coming with her. But, her, being the sole bridge of their friendship, she won't really break down and keep that rainy day promise. After all, they're her precious friends and a promise is a promise. Wishing that Katsuki thought of that promise too, as well as Izuku, that despite these circumstances they will be together.

"Izu-chan..." She mumbled, seating in the planks in their secret 'Hero agency'. Then she continued, "Don't lie. I know about that. Like Kacchan, I can read a bit and that nickname is really bad."

"Kacchan will get angry!"

"So what?" She shot back, causing Izuku to be surprised and leaned backwards to her sharp response. It's really rare for her to really get pissed but it's going overboard already and she won't like that. No one treats her friends like garbage and good-for-nothing, even if it's Katsuki.

She added, "Kacchan needs to knock it off. So what if he gets angry, I am angry also. You don't deserve to get treated like this Izu-chan!"

"B-But! I don't want that, Ch-Chi-chan."

"Eh?"

"I don't want to see Ch-Chi-chan and K-Kacchan fighting because of me. I want to get a-along with everyone. Plus, D-Deku is a good nickname, after all, he gave it to me."

Her eyebrows relaxed. Seeing Izuku sort out things makes her warm and fuzzy. She idolizes him, even though he is casually being called as a wimp, he still stands straight and continues to go on. When she's like that back then, she can't even stand the way adults look at her, and that's what she really likes about Izuku.

Sighing, she knew she couldn't really be that violent when it comes to him, "Alright, I got it if that's what you want. But, the next time someone made you cry or be bullied, I'll be ready to kick their butts."

"O-Okay!"

* * *

"Kacchan, how many times did you skip?"

"Seven!" Katsuki replied proudly, his hands on his hips.

"Wow!"

"That's Kacchan for you!"

Then the ash-blonde just had to turn to Izuku who was grinning adorably in amazement, "What about you, Deku?"

Izuku deflated, "Z-zero times…" his answer was small but it voiced his shame very clearly. The ash-blonde dared to snicker and his minions laughed.

"Wow," Chiharu breathed in awe, "Seven times. That's so great!"

Honestly, Chiharu isn't that attached to his minions at all. At the very least, she really disliked them. Whenever Katsuki is with them, he becomes mean. He is usually gentle and kind but when he's with them, he changes his character and says bad words, that she really hates.

She continued, "Can you teach us, Kacchan?"

"I can teach you, Haru. But, I won't teach Deku!"

"Why?"

"Because he is lame and a wimp, no matter how hard I teach him, he's still no-good."

"That's mean, Kacchan!" She puffed her cheeks then stormed out of his sight, and proceeded to teach Izuku to skip stones. At the end of the day, he still didn't learn but that's not what's the issue, it's Chiharu. Someone who is amazing as her, someone who can be par with him, will give her whole time just for Izuku is something infuriating to him.

 _Why can't he do it?!_

 _Leave us alone, Deku!_

* * *

Alas, it's Katsuki and Chiharu's birthday and they're celebrating it within the premises of their of their Preschool. The little daycare has it's tradition that the children will be giving gifts to the birthday celebrant. As the Bakugou and Aragaki family is setting up the food for the party, children are lining up to Katsuki and Chiharu to give their presents.

The birthday boy and girl are seated in a mono black chair that is filled with glitters and colorful crepe papers, then there's also a cardboard sticking at the top of the chair that shapes like a crown for king and queen. Each children holds up gifts to them; as Chiharu lovingly accepted them with a loud 'Thank you!', Katsuki is really not the kind of grateful kid at all. He tosses the gift at his back together with the pile of gifts he received and shouted 'Next!" to the children lining up to him.

And then there's Izuku, he brought out an All Might toy that is neatly wrapped in a red ribbon and proudly gives it to his best friend. Surely, he knows how to give gifts to his friend and is looking forward to how Katsuki will warm up to him and say 'Thanks!' just like the good ol' days.

But those good ol' days have vanished.

When Katsuki took a hold of the box, he rolled his eyes to him in complete annoyance. His gift is really a good one, considering the children who only managed to give him towels, picture frames and tumblers. He doesn't even have that one yet and the wimp manages to snag it out. Like hell he would delightfully received a gift from 'Deku', so he managed to do his routine upon receiving gifts.

"Hmpf, I already have this one! You're really a 'Deku', Deku." He _lied._ Ungratefully, the ash-blonde tossed the gift to the mountain of presents behind him. Izuku looked dejectedly, seeing the toy that he really carefully picked out and even battled out the temptation to take it to himself thrown out like it's something invaluable. He clutched the other gift tight as he bit his lip to stop the threatening tears in his eyes but stopped when Chiharu butted in.

"Wow! Is that for me?"

He snapped out of his world; glancing onto his gift, a jar that contains crayons. Her beautiful purple eyes gleamed in satisfaction, smiling excitingly to him. Giving the gift to her, she immediately hugged the jar to her small arms, as if it's her child and deliberately smiled to him, "Thank you Izu-chan! Your gift is the best!"

Izuku's teary-eyes are gone. His frown is replaced with a warm smile across his features. On the other hand, the ash-blonde nearly wanted to pierce off the atmosphere between those two. There's no way Izuku gave a gift that made her smile that wide! He is dumb, weakling and good-for-nothing! Why is Izuku getting match to her own pace? As if 'Deku' is stealing her away from him.

There's no way he'll let them do as what that wimp pleases.

Chiharu is with him.

Chiharu is his sunshine.

And Chiharu will only smile for him alone!

Chiharu is-

"Kacchan!" Chiharu called him out of his rampaging thoughts again. He didn't notice that the cake is in front of them now. There's this number candles, glowing with fire and some-sort of dedication to them. His cake is the black forest one and hers is vanilla. Observing it intimately, he scanned the room and met the exhilarated eyes of the adults and kids as well. Then, his crimson orbs found its way to her grinning to him and he found it really endearing.

She holds his hand, squeezing it tightly, "Kacchan, we're together again!"

He nodded, stunned by her.

"Take care of me for the next years, yes?"

 _Of course. He will. He won't ever let anyone dare to land a hand to her._

The people within the vicinity began to sing the Birthday song to them, clapping and smiling to them, cheering for their milestone in life. Although, it's filled with cheerfulness, his mind is off somewhere. It's not with the cake nor the people around him nor his own birthday, it's with his dearest childhood friend.

"Haru."

"Hm?"

He tightened the grip to their hands, his cheeks warming. Luckily the glow ofthe candles is focused on their cheeks or else he wanted to dig his own grave.

"You'll always be with me, right?"

"Of course, Kacchan. We promised right?"

"Not with Deku this time. You'll never leave me right?"

"I'm always here with you. No matter what happens, I'm your ally."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

And then they blew out the fire in the candles.

Of course, they'll be together.

* * *

The food was served and it filled the room with bright smiles. The calm moment of eating the cake was disturbed by some resemblance of a firecracker.

"Kacchan! Is that your Quirk?" Chiharu's question got everyone to instantly surround the ash-blonde

Katsuki stood amidst awed looks, both his palms facing up, watching the little sparks exploding atop his palms. Everyone praised him, feeding his ego.

"Wow!"

"Lucky!"

"That's so cool!"

The teachers too, "Wow, that's an amazing Quirk!" The male teacher complimented in awe.

"It really is." The female teacher added, "It's a flashy Quirk just right for a hero. Right, Katsuki-kun?"

"It's so pretty! They're like fireworks!" Chiharu tells him, as his brows furrow in further confusion, because his quirk has been called a multitude of things like cool and amazing but "pretty" had never been one of them.

Katsuki's look of pure pride and joy was adorable. He grinned so big and his eyes were wide with excitement with the potential of his Quirk.

 _Oh I see. I am amazing! No one is amazing as me!_

 ** _I am the greatest among the rest!_**

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry for the delay! I had a busy schedule this past few week and I didn't find any time to write at all. Anyway, thank you for reading. Thank you for the comments I really appreciated it. So, here we go, the promise is slowly breaching and yes, Chiharu is really trying her best! Did you get the gist of the relationship chart? Oh well, hahahaha!

Please continue to support this fanfic by commenting; those comments really meant the world for me as it is my driving force to continue!


	5. Chapter 5: Hatred

Chapter 5: Hatred

* * *

"You're so lucky, Kacchan! You're quirk's so cool! I hope I get mine soon, too!" Izuku complimented with his adorable big eyes, strolling behind him.

"No matter what Quirk you get, you'll never beat me!" He proudly declared, obviously filled with pride and ego.

Chiharu pursued her lips, whipping out a slight smile to her, "Yes. Yes. But, with that we'll become heroes someday!"

"I'm surely going to be a hero! As for Deku, I think he's not!"

"Come on, Kacchan..." Izuku immediately deflated, puffing his cheeks in pure embarrassment.

"Kacchan, that's mean. We promised that we'll be together so we'll be together as heroes as well!" She retorted, but Katsuki rolled his eyes in distress, completely ignoring her.

Dropping the topic, he faced the bubble head beside him and began, "Chi-chan, I'll be going to the doctor later to check my quirk!"

"Do your best, Izu-chan!"

"Yeah!"

Chiharu really hoped. She really hoped that the same smiling ball of sunshine still has his sunshine to his heart after hearing the sudden news. But that wasn't really easy, life is cruel and it won't be always a bed of roses.

* * *

"Move forward, Bakugou Hero Agency!" Katsuki marched towards the log, with some explosives in his hands while his minions followed him swiftly. Apparently, Chiharu isn't here and that leaves only Izuku; defenseless. It was going all great, when Katsuki slipped from the log causing him to land straight to the water.

"Kacchan!"

"Hey, are you alright?"

"It's alright, Kacchan's strong!"

"Hurry up and climb up here!"

Katsuki emerged from the water, smiling at them as if he's fine, "Yeah, I'm alright!"

"Are you alright?" Suddenly, someone whom he hated extended his hand to him.

"It will be bad if you hit your head." Izuku continued, still trying to reassure him.

Instantly, his proud demeanor stopped, a frown escaped from his lips.

 _I am fine!_

His crimson orbs met his green ones.

 _Don't look at me with those eyes!_

* * *

"I'll be going inside now, Dad!" Chiharu placed a quick peck to Ryuuji's cheek, hugging him tightly as well. Despite having a busy schedule her parents never neglect to let her go to school alone, it's either they switch their turns or be with her together. She wanted to applaud to her parents on how they shower so much love to her, and with that she wanted to award her parents by doing well with school.

After a few months, Chiharu got used to the children around her; getting herself a friend or a two. But nothing beats her friendship with Izuku and Katsuki, as she really sticks with them like a glue. When Ryuuji bid his farewell to his sweet princess, she began to skip steps to her room, humming a sweet tune to herself. In fact, she's feeling under the weather lately, there's this burning sensation within her head and body but nevertheless, she wanted to go to school even if it's to force herself. She's truly excited to find out what's Izuku's quirk. Also, there's something today that she has a feeling she should not miss at all. A few steps towards the door, she stopped to her tracks when she vaguely heard her classmates muttering something; a bad feeling crept within her heart, listening to the voices intimately.

 _"Did you hear?"_

 _"Deku doesn't have a quirk."_

Her eyes widened upon hearing the statement, processing the words that her classmate uttered. She can't believe that Izuku doesn't have a quirk, and fret that her classmates will treat him as society treats his father. Biting her lower lip, she tightened the grip to the hem of her light blue dress. If Izuku cheered her up upon hearing that her dad is quirkless, she will cheer him up as well in the midst of trials.

 _"What really?"_

 _"Yeah, it's called being Quirkless."_

 _"That's so lame."_

 _"Too bad for him."_

 _"He's weird."_

 _"Don't worry about it, Izuku-kun."_

Katsuki snickered from afar, further mocking and belittling Izuku's presence. Now that he is a wimp, a good-for-nothing and now quirkless...? Does the world have more things in store for him? He couldn't help but literally laugh how uncool his image will be in front of Chiharu. Still, he is the best and he can't wait to tell her how Izuku is nothing but garbage. If society will be rated maybe he'll be the lowest of all.

That means Izuku won't be a hero, and he'll have Chiharu on his own. That's right, he won't be competing anymore; she'll turn a blind eye to 'Deku'. The way things are presented to him, he can't help but celebrate victoriously, he doesn't need people as long as she's with him; the girl who knows him and understands him. After all, he's her ally, she promised! At the corner of his eye, he noticed her presence and he's about to greet her when he noticed that she's not her usual self.

"What so lame about being quirkless?" Finally, Chiharu spoke out, her hands on her hips; scrutinizing every one within her line of sight. The children, the teachers especially Katsuki turned their eyes to see a 'really pissed' Chiharu within their eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Chihar-" The female teacher was interrupted by her cold blank stare; right now, she could be labeled as the steely-gaze of the town for having those sharp eyes that could pierce anyone, "Don't tell them not to worry about it."

"H-Huh? Chiharu-chan?"

Katsuki began to observe the happenings unfolding to him bit by bit. He couldn't understand the reason by her anger. It's just Izuku; the quirkless Deku. Questions began to swarm all around his mind, as he carefully tried to analyze the things around him.

"Now, answer me. What so weird and lame about being quirkless?" She deadpanned, but the sharpness of her voice is evident.

"He can't be a hero!"

"He is useless!"

"Why? Is having a quirk all it gets to be good in the eyes of the people? Can it feed you three times a day? Is it a part of your body? Do you use it to walk? Does it even make you know things? Does it even make you smarter?! Does quirks really have to tell your existence that bad, huh!?" She snapped, completely engulfed with frustration.

"Does quirks really matter? People long ago don't have one, at all! It doesn't matter, they survived!" As if she's speaking like an adult, she began to recall about what his father went through. With all the bullying and degrading, Ryuuji became frustrated as well, and she doesn't want to see someone being treated same as her father. Doing this to her friend will be their deaths.

And with her statement, all of the people around her went silent, even the teachers can't pull out words from their mouths. She is utterly disappointed, even the teachers can't even handle and know that her friend is already getting bullied. She can't stand it!

"Alright, stop the ruckus already. Kids, you-"

"Not only he is a weakling but also quirkless..." One of Katsuki's minions began to ridicule her friend, elbowing Katsuki to sneer as well, but the ash-blonde couldn't understand; why is she protecting Izuku? He remained silent, gnashing his teeth in utter annoyance. Maybe, he finally thought of an answer but is afraid to admit it. Izuku flinched, his eyes nearly teary-eyed; and that's the cue that everything is going to break loose.

The minions continued, "Izuku is a good-for-nothing garbage of-"

A book suddenly flew right towards one of his minions, the kid with big teeth and long fingers, then the big book swiftly landed towards his face; hitting him perfectly. He fell flat to his feet with a loud _thud._ The room felt silent, even Izuku who is crying a while ago stopped when all eyes landed to Katsuki's group, especially with the big teeth and book on his face, then they trailed their eyes to the one who threw the massive book; and suddenly fear appeared to their eyes.

Chiharu's eyes began to cloud as if looks can kill, his minion's will be killed instantly. Her knuckles turned white from clenching her fist too hard, and gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, her hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent. The loud whimper of the kid snapped the people around them; the teachers immediately lift her up to their arms before she further turned wild. The other minions; the obese kid with red wings and the kid with spiky hair began to charge up to her, trying to get some revenge to their friend. The other children began to panic with the sudden fight as they squirmed all around the places, the teachers tried to stop the children and while the female teacher is distracted from the break out; she freed from her grasp and immediately went to get Izuku but failed, when they charged up to her; receiving some light punches.

Glancing onto one of her friends, she couldn't help but feel hopeless, Katsuki is even here.

They are friends, right?

Why is Katsuki not helping Izuku out?

She can't believe it.

Her eyebrows furrowed in complete distress; disappointment written over her face. And of course, Katsuki could see the look onto her eyes. She is utterly disappointed. With those eyes piercing him down to the core, he couldn't help but feel agitated as his crimson orbs fell flat to the one she's cradling to her arms-Deku, the guy who took things away from him.

 _Don't look at me with those eyes._

 _Don't, Haru!_

Of course he already knew the answer. He lost. He lost her. He lost from that stupid Deku who let's her protect him. Everything is falling into places already, from the day they were born, before they met Izuku. Chiharu is always with him; smiling, his ray of sunshine. But every thing else fell apart when they met the curly green-hair kid, the guy who snatched her away. Her attention to him is now divided and instead being on his side; she protects him. He knew it. He hated his guts from the start. The way Izuku looked at her as if she's his world. He hated how that crybaby managed to snagged her out of his hands. He hates it! He hates it! He hates Midoriya Izuku!

 _Don't take Haru away from me, Deku!_

 _Trash belongs to the trash!_

 _Know where you belong, stupid Deku!_

Haru is his only friend, that's all.

Haru is the one who acknowledged him.

Someone who can be a hero.

Haru told him that he isn't a villain.

A hero... Like All Might.

She's his hero.

There's no way... there's no way he'll be together with Izuku.

There's no way he'll be friends with this thwart.

He is just a pebble.

A wimp.

A good-for-nothing.

A useless.

Quirkless thwart.

But why does it feel that he is snatching her away from him?

And if there's one thing he would like to do...

He wanted to beat the crap out of him...

He is unforgivable.

 _Sorry, Haru._

 _I don't want anyone to snatch you away from me._

 _Sorry... I couldn't keep that promise..._

 _But I hope... you won't break that promise we shared, right?_

 _Sorry..._

 _But I really hate, Deku, after all._

* * *

Author's Note:

A very fast update to make up the days that I skipped! This is a short chapter, since if I add the other scenes that I though off it might skyrocketed to many pages. Anyway, so here is the starting point of the angst part, I guess? Be sure to tune to the next chapters. I hope that you won't misjudge Katsuki as being 'obsessed' with Chiharu. He is just some lonely kid with no friends, and maybe he thought that Izuku will take his only friend away, which is apparently not right? Hahaha! Find out more!

Thank you for the comments, I really appreciated it! And once more, leave more comments and I will be glad to reply to it.


	6. Chapter 6: Anger

Chapter 6: Anger

* * *

 _"Did you hear?"_

 _"Chiharu is already five years old, yet she still doesn't have her quirk."_

 _"Maybe she's quirkless, as well."_

 _"Protecting the same kind, huh?"_

 _"Hahahahahaha!"_

Things get harsher in the kindergarten when Chiharu started to defend Izuku; their other classmates started to avoid them because of a rumor that states that the reason she hasn't manifested her quirk yet because she's quirkless as well. Although, that began to halt at once when Katsuki 'secretly' threatened them to stop the rubbish rumors and isolating _his_ dear Chiharu or else all hell break loose.

"Haru isn't a freaking quirkless, useless mutts! She isn't like Deku! Do you hear me!?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Now be friends with her or else..." He clamped his fists together, releasing some tiny explosions, releasing that familiar oh-so-deadly smile of his, "You'll know what happens, right?"

"Y-Yes!"

The next day she and Izuku were a bit confused to why suddenly the children who avoided them became their friends again. But then, she deduced that it's Katsuki's way of protecting her from harm and yes, she can read him like an open book.

Although, she cannot shake the thought about him not helping Izuku out when she ran havoc past few days ago.

Walking home together, hand in hand with only the two of them alone, there's only silence instilling to the both of them; neither were speaking nor opening some topics from what happened today. For him this stillness is excruciating. It's been a while since they're alone like this but his friend chose to zip her mouth of all the times. He thought that this inaudible silence will further continue when...

"Kacchan..." Suddenly, she broke the ice, still refusing to look at him straight.

"Hm?"

"What if I'm really quirkless?" Finally, her eyes began to travel down to his. But, the tone of her voice seemed to be sad and worried, and it feels like his answer will be a matter of life and death; whether they'll be continue as friends.

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"Will you also hate me?"

He curled his fists together, averting his gaze from her. It doesn't frustrates him if she's quirkless or has a useless quirk. It doesn't frustrates him if she'll be a wimp, hell he'll protect her anyway. But Chiharu doesn't work like that, she doesn't want to be protected, instead she'll stand on her two feet and rescue others; doing what she did to him. Though, the real thing that frustrates him is asking him that damn question.

"What kind of question is that, Haru?"

"Sorry..." A sad smile formed to her lips, apologizing with her calm and soothing smile. Nevertheless, he didn't want to see her like that. As much as to his likening, he still wanted her to be in her cheerful self rather than seeing her like this; having doubts to him.

Gathering the courage within him; inhaling and exhaling to himself, he squeezed her hands within him as if he's trying to tell her that everything will be alright. He dealt with the bullying already so that will be fine. He'll do everything, anything just for her to drop that act.

"There's no way I'll hate you. We made a promise, right? I will protect you because you're my friend. Whatever happens, I will be with you. So, if someone bullies you, run to me and I'll beat them up!"

She giggles, finally letting go the weight within her heart, "Thank you... Katsuki."

 _She's his only friend._

 _There's no way he'll hate her._

 _Ever._

 _But the once sunshine smile onto her lips were replaced with something fake; with something forced._

* * *

Although, the bullying subsided for a while, and their lives become in harmony. But still, troubles as well gossips never dies. Thus, those bad memories and useless chitchats about them were brought to their Grade school days; much to Chiharu's dismay. Seriously, she wanted to give a piece of mind to these people on how they wanted to become a hero so much but displays an act of anti-heroism; that's just so pure hypocrisy. At a young age, she developed some mature aura within her. Though her parents wanted her to enjoy the life of being a kid, but she chose to shrug those things and focused on Izuku's well-being; after all, she doesn't want history to repeat itself especially to her friend.

 _Splash._

Water drips to the tips of Chiharu's hair, drenching her from head to toe. Apparently, there are those sleazy scumbags _again_ planning to splash another bucket of water to Izuku. And as much as to their dismay, she knows what they're planning. Instead of him, she's the one receiving the brutal bullying of these children. Wow, gradeschoolers are sure quite scary. It doesn't matter if they're in the first grade or in the sixth grade, what matters is how twisted their hearts are.

The pure empty purple eyes of hers can only stare onto nowhere. Hearing those people clicking their tongues, proclaiming that they miss their target made them flee the scene. Izuku is on his feet, staring unbelievably to his childhood friend shielding him from the water. Standing a few inches from him is Chiharu, surely there's frustration within her face no matter what angle he looks at. His lips quivered in fear, tears evident to his eyes and his whole body shakes seeing her took the toll for him.

"C-Chi-chan...?"

Instantly, her cold stare changed back into her usual ones; bright and colorful ones. Reaching her slightly wet hands to him, she smiled at him, "Are you okay, Izu-chan? Can you stand?"

"I-I sh-should be the one a-asking you tha-at!" In spite of his unsteady speech, he tried to ask him with a worry tone.

"It's just water, Izu-chan! Don't worry!" She tried to reassure him by her sheepish tone, hurling him up to stand onto his feet. But those words didn't really assure him at all. Surely, he knows that she's trying to pave away the bullies, but that doesn't mean that she'll get bullied or something. In some instances, she stated to him that she won't be bullied since she have this 'guardian' angel with her; not that he didn't know who it is rather who _he_ is. Though, things are getting lonely for him, especially for Chiharu. Ever since they entered Grade School, Katsuki subtlety hangs out with them instead he hangs out with his minions or his new found friends. However, he still misses Katsuki. Even she can't further hide how she misses the ash-blonde, but instead she brushes it off telling him that they're neighbors and there's no need for her to be like that. But, he knows.

On their way home, Izuku and her always hang out onto their secret base; waiting for Katsuki to pop out and everything will be the same again. They knew that they're waiting for nothing nonetheless, they still tried; after all the promise is still there, right? _or maybe not._ Even though, she's with him, he couldn't help but be a bit disappointed to himself. She's always protecting him from the bullies but he never did anything to save her. Instead, fear always gets a hold of himself first and he hated him for that.

"Sorry, C-Chi-chan." He hiccuped, fighting the urge of tears forming onto his soft eyes. Apologizing is the first way that popped onto his mind, considering how he drags her into his mess.

Glancing onto the little boy beside her, as her mouth continued to agape a bit; trying to form some words to response to his apology but nothing came.

"I-It's my fault. You're not supposed to get drag onto the mess that I made. Y-You can't even enjoy the life of being a kid just because of protecting me. S-Snatching away all those opportunities, I-I am the worst!" Obviously, there's something that angers him so much to the point of crying himself. It's a rare sight of Izuku that she just discovered, but this kind of attitude makes her uneasy. He endlessly bantered some rants about his insecurities and how he is so incapable of protecting her, which she only listened onto. Now is not the good time for her to interrupt him, so she tried to listen even if it makes her ears bleed; these are the words that she doesn't want to hear from the one who cheered her up.

"I am weak, useless, and most of all quirkless. I'm must be dreaming tell people that I can be a hero. In fact, I can't and I won't become one..."

Then he added something that she absolutely hated. The words that fuels the burning fury to her.

 _"I-I should just die..."_

Okay that's it. Those are the words that she doesn't want to hear at all. Without any further hesitance, she clamped both of her hands to his cheeks, scorching her eyebrows together as she bit her lower lip. Meanwhile the pure cinnamon rolls within her hands couldn't process everything at all. Blush continued to crept to his whole face up until to his ears, justifying, frozen under her grasps.

"Don't ever say you're weak and useless! As if you're saying that I should not be around you and more like my father is like you. I-I absolutely h-hate that... Don't just throw away your life like that..." Her voice weakened, shaking and melting onto sadness. There's this one fragment of memory that she absolutely hated. One time, she come across her father slitting his wrist wide open, blood oozing out of the wound and there's this indescribable look painted onto his face. Dark menacing eyes piercing holes to the wound he opened out, tears sliding down to his cheeks; muttering nonsense words that he should just die and that he is a good-for-nothing guy with nothing to be proud of.

Luckily, Chiharu snapped him out of his state, bringing him onto the hospital immediately before anything happens. Ryuuji received an armful of talk from Taira, but then end up with having heart-warming hug as she wishes him to talk to her before resulting into something like that. In that one clear moment, she knew that the world is a cruel place. And she doesn't want anyone doing those things, being hopeless onto their lives. She promised to herself. That's the reason she wanted to be a 'hero', not only rescuing people against the villains but also rescuing people from the monsters inside them.

After that, Ryuuji strive to have a positive outlook in life. Realizing that he has a family looking forward to his presence, and that he needed to be strong despite the negativity in life. Still, he's battling onto his inner monsters.

However, she remained calm, going back to reality. There's no way she'll appear weak in front of Izuku, there's no way she'll break. Not here, now that her friend needs help.

"You're not useless..." She muttered, continuing, "After all, Izu-chan accepted my presence willingly. Unlike the people I befriended before, they didn't accept that my father is quirkless and that I might be one as well, so they left me. But, you, made friends with me. Your warm smile that refreshes me. In fact, I wanted to see you smiling as it completes my day always! You rescued me! And that alone is an act of being a hero."

Her eyes soften, her once crinkled eyebrows returned to normal and her plump lips stretches up to her ears, brimming out the softest and radiating smile she ever mastered, "Midoriya Izuku _can_ be a hero."

Her words hit him really word. The walls that he built within himself; those walls called hopelessness and insecurities just suddenly came breaking down. Just like a meteor engulfing his whole mind and soul, her presence is enough. Suddenly, he couldn't bring himself to tear down. His vision blurred. Bit by bit, tears spilled from his eyes, whimpering solidly to her. Those are the words that he just wanted to hear from what society is carelessly snatching away from him. Reassuring him with a soft smile, she wrapped her arms around him and he did as well. He sobbed into her chest unceasingly, hands clutching at her jacket. She held him in silence, rocking him slowly as his tears soaked her chest. The tears weren't because of sadness but it's all pure joy and hope. Just like a flash of light, guiding him to something that he really wanted.

Meanwhile, behind the bushes outside the secret base where Izuku and Chiharu is, there's an awfully familiar ash-blonde, eavesdropping onto their conversation. Seeing the two of them hugging each other with smiles plastered on their lips made something onto his heart; quenching and tearing it apart. He never _ever_ did saw that kind of Chiharu at all. As if something is about to burst onto his heart, he couldn't help but get furious about it. Crimson eyes burned in pure agitation, his clenched fist turned evenly white and his lips is about to ooze some blood by how hard he bit it.

His mind replayed the memory from the moment Chiharu smiled for him. She was smiling, and it was real. Not the fake, forced ones she would usually direct towards him. She looked happy, and there was that sparkle in her eyes that seemed so off whenever he was around. _Haru_... looked like the Haru who he had thought he has lost. He had missed this so much, this free version of the smaller. He should thank that quirkless mutt for bringing her out of her shell. It was only because of him that he was able to witness that beautiful smile he was yearning to see. He should be happy right? Should be grateful. But he was not. He was angry, bitter, lost, he was everything but that. He felt hurt, betrayed. And above all, he felt sad and guilty; Sad because she wasn't smiling because of him. And guilty because he was never there to make him smile.

 _That damn Deku will pay for all of this!_

 _Don't take her away from me!_

* * *

When Chiharu went home completely drenched, Taira knew there's something going onto that pesky school. And that issue won't get passed to her motherly instinct, so she pay no heed to Ryuuji and Chiharu's reassuring words and went straight to the school to complain about the incident that happened. Her mother might not look like it, but she won't tolerate such brash attitude towards her daughter. Unless, they wanted to feel her wrath that will be a different story. So, the bullying incident stopped due to her complain and Chiharu couldn't be more happier.

Izuku and her began to be friends with the other children; much to their fulfillment. But that amount of friends won't ever match up to Katsuki's presence. After he eavesdropped onto Izuku's sulking on the secret base, he couldn't contain his anger and began to avoid him at all cost. Well, he won't risks his name and character in beating up the curly green-haired boy just so he could replenish his state of mind. Now that that's what makes Chiharu happier, or so he thought.

She's glad that the bullying stopped but she'll never be happier when she has Katsuki on her side. It makes her sad, knowing that her childhood friend is slipping away from her company. So, she thought of a plan that will make her reunite with Katsuki and that will be on Izuku's birthday.

Since there's a good atmosphere already, and all the rumors stopped between the two of them. She encouraged Izuku to invite their classmates to his seventh birthday. At first, he couldn't do it, he is too frightened and shy to face nor meet with his classmates eyes. But, just a bit encouragement from the petrol blue haired girl, he tried and successfully got all their 'Yes' on the birthday party.

Izuku's feet finally marched up to Katsuki and his minions, reaching out the invitation with shaky hands, he tried to muster up the courage to invite him, "K-Kacchan, i-it's my birthday party this S-Saturday. I-I wanted y-you t-t-t-t-o come especially C-Chi-chan."

At first he turned a blind eye towards Izuku, but when he heard her name, he immediately jolted his head to him, meeting his green orbs.

"C-Chi-chan misses you a lot. She w-wants to be with you again e-even I m-miss you. She's helping out with the preparations as well. So p-please if y-you're available, please go." Then, he left the invitation to his desk and stormed out of the classroom. Katsuki's immediately found its way to the card, the hand writing is obviously Chiharu's since it's neat and beautiful. He wanted to go and meet with her as soon as possible. But not with this pesky birthday party, not in front of that brat. There's no way he'll ever forgive him for stealing her.

"What will we do Kacchan? Are we going to the party?" One of his minions, the guy with spiky hair asked, smirking evilly.

" _Of course_ , the answer is so obvious." Crumpling the invitation card in his own grasps, he let out an explosion to it and clearly tosses it outside the window with a smug grin plastered to his face. He continued eyeing everyone in the classroom who received the invitation from the little cinnamon roll, "There's _no way_ we'll go, right everyone?"

 _Deku clearly deserves this._

* * *

Izuku hurriedly climb down the stairs in pure exhilaration, running towards his mom decorating the living room with some All Might streamers. Of course, he'll be excited it's his birthday and everyone is coming, including Katsuki who confirmed via the telephone yesterday. Surely, this is the birthday he'll surely never ever will forget. Finally, Chiharu, Katsuki and him will blast off and have some fun today.

When the clock strikes to 3 o' clock, where it signals that for a few moments his classmates will come flooding to his house and he couldn't help but smile. Finally, he got along with everyone; he has plenty of friends! When he tell Chiharu that Katsuki is going, she couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. Even though they're always together, Chiharu will always be happy when the ash-blonde is around.

"Mom, I'll go wait outside!"

"Be careful, Izuku!"

And then he went off with a grin in his lips.

Chiharu couldn't be happier when she see Izuku having friends of his own. Also, Katsuki going in Izuku's party made her joyful. Because there's this real huge doubt that he'll not come, she's not an idiot but she can feel how the ash-blonde gets irritated by Izuku's presence. And she wanted to talk about that issue with Katsuki but she never had the chance to do it. Well, she's glad that everyone were going to the party but something is off. It's not that she's judging her classmates but she clearly has this ominous feeling right now. Even the bullies are going, and upon doing that she knew that something is about to happen.

Thirty minutes has passed but the number of guests are still zero. There's no one coming, even Katsuki's trace isn't here. Inko is getting worried for her son and the birthday party, but tried to hide it with reassurance that maybe everyone is buying a present. And of course, only an idiot with believe that make up story, well, her classmates buying presents at the same time and day, who does that, anyway?

An hour passed and it's getting late, in that time, she could feel this uneasiness crawling within her. And as much ash she doesn't like to feel this way, even their friend, even Katsuki isn't coming at all. She can recall that when they're playing together he can be late for a bit thirty minutes but there's no way he'll be late to this kind of event! So, she hurriedly ran off to the telephone, dialed the Bakugou residence's number and it rings continuously. For the third ring, a woman answered her call, got to be Mitsuki.

 **"H-Hello, M-Mitsuki-san?"**

 **"Yes? Who's this?"**

 **"Chiharu."**

 **"Oh, what is it?"**

 **"I-It's about Kacchan. Where is he? Is he heading off here?"**

 **"Huh? Heading off to play there?"**

 **"N-No I mean, it's Izu-chan's birthday today and he's invited. He should be here about an hour and a half already. But, there's no sign of him, at all."**

 **"It's Inko's kid's birthday? What? I never heard of that! Furthermore, I never heard from that damn brat that he has a party to attend to!"** Then for a slight moment, Mitsuki stalls from the telephone, seemingly asking Masaru from afar about Katsuki's location, _"Hey Masaru! Where's our damn fucking son!? I just got home, I don't know where he is!"_

Masaru answered her, _"Katsuki told me that he'll be playing some Mario Kart with his friends. What's the matter, Mitsuki?"_

 _"Well, that damn brat should be in that goddamn party with Inko's son! Why the fucking hell isn't he dragging his ass there!? I swear I'll be giving that mutt a piece of mind and send him to that party!"_

 _"Mitsuki, the telephone. The person behind that can hear you! Is that Chiharu-chan? You got to calm yourself down!"_

 _"Agh, gosh!"_

Chiharu could really hear the conversation from his parents. _Really, Mario Kart? When did Kacchan learned how to lie? Moreover, when did he learned how to break that promise off and went to someone else's house!?_ Anger immediately shoots herself. With her blood boiling and gnashed teeth, she could feel utter disappointment to him.

Maybe, he just forgo

Maybe, he is on his way now buying presents to Izuku.

But...

No matter how she wanted to be positive.

She can't.

She wanted an explanation.

What's happening?

How dare he?

After all the times that they've been together.

How could he?

Suddenly, she didn't noticed but everything in her surroundings started to shake. At first the table rattles like a freight train just passed, Inko looks at the surface of her coffee and the surface is ruffled like she just put the cup down too clumsily. Then all at once the house is moved up and down with such a force they sprawl over the floor, falling heavily to the terracotta tile. The pictures fall from the walls, glass shattering. Inko began to be afraid by her surroundings, thinking that it's an earthquake. She was about to tell Chiharu to hide under the table when she noticed her wavy petrol blue hair standing up, emitting some bits of dark aura. Shrieking onto her position, she tried to snap her off from her dilemma but stopped when everything reverted back to its original state. Peaceful. As if there's no earthquake at all. It felt like everything is a dream. And just like that Chiharu's hair is back to normal as well as the aura swarming around her.

 **"Sorry, Chiharu-chan. Katsuki's not home. But when he comes home, I'm sure as hell going to drag his ass off to that party."**

 **"No, Mitsuki-san. You don't have to. I just realized something."**

 **"O-Oh?"**

Her eyes flashed with indignant and anger, much like lightning on a pitch black night. She breathes coldly, replying to her as if her words are like swords.

 _If that's how Katsuki wants to play. She will be joining._

 **"He's** ** _not_** **even invited... The party is cancelled."**

 _No one came to the party._

 _Not a single one._

 _Even Katsuki..._

 _Their friend..._

 _...did not come._

With her final statement, she brought the telephone down slowly, and clear as day, hell is going to break loose.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you so much everyone for the encouraging comments you left! I really appreciated it deep down to my heart. It cheers me up and, like an energy drink, pumps me up to write more chapters! And yes, shit is about to go down between Chiharu and Katsuki. Speaking of which, where's our cinnamon roll? What happened to him? And... did you get a glimpse of Chiharu's 'quirk'?

Anyway, I just want to tell you that College Entrance Exams are approaching. So, I don't know if I'll be updating that much but I'll be doing my best to update often. Got to study, m8! Please leave comments, let me see your thoughts about the chapter! I'm so pumped up to write this fanfic! Thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7: Those Forbidden Words

Chapter 7: Those Forbidden Words

* * *

Aragaki Chiharu has a secret that she never told anyone except her parents. The truth is that she manifested her quirk during the day Katsuki manifested his. At first, she is excited to tell it to her classmates but when Izuku got bullied because of being quirkless; she tried her best to keep it all onto herself, not telling anyone even her closest friends. Maybe, a lot of people will question her decisions but this is how she protects Izuku. He needs an ally, someone who can understand him.

So, she asked her best friend, Bakugou Katsuki, when they're heading home from the day care, if he'll hate her if she's quirkless because the last thing that she didn't wanted is for him to hate her. If he ever hates her, she won't know what will happen.

Because for her… _Bakugou Katsuki is everything._

Luckily, her friend assures her that he will never hate her just because of something absurd. And then she hopes to herself, crossing her fingers in wariness, that he won't ever hate her for betraying him.

That she _lied._

 _I'm sorry._

For the sake of her other friend, to stop all the ruckus, to stop the bullying, she will become one; a quirkless mutt.

Back in the present, Chiharu is currently running on her feet towards Izuku's whereabouts. Apparently, after he ran off to wait for his classmates' arrival, he's nowhere to be seen at all, making her really worried. Usually, he won't go too far from home but the way things are going screams dangerous.

Her tracks led her to an arcade where some kids and teen agers go. At first, she planned to take a rest for a while as she gather more oxygen to her depleting lungs but little did she know that her detour will be able to learn something valuable. Glancing inside the place, her purple eyes saw something that really makes her really upset.

Inside she saw familiar people, mainly her classmates enjoying some games instead of going to Izuku's party. Saddened by their appearance, she slowly walked towards the group, trying her best not to be caught and eavesdrop to their conversation. Hiding behind the coin generated arcade machine, she peered onto their conversation, listening intently word per word.

"Is it really alright to ditch Midoriya's birthday party?"

"Of course! Who will go to that lame party anyway?"

"Plus, Bakugou-kun is right, if we go there then we will be stuck with the lamest party alongside with Aragaki-san and Midoriya-kun."

"If Bakugou-kun didn't told us not to go then we will be so lame for the rest of our lives."

Instantly, her eyes widened from the words that she heard. It felt like everything stopped, swords piercing to her heart and audible despondency engulfed her whole being. Their classmates not attending the party is one thing, but having Katsuki to be the leader of their whole plan is another thing. She couldn't comprehend on how her friend betrayed them. As if the ash-blonde is the one behind of all these mess. She kept digging, and digging for all the possible reasons and that she might forgive him; but she cannot even find good reasons at all.

She wanted to understand.

She wanted to forgive him.

She knew that he's just teasing them.

But the whole teasing level is beyond control. It involved an untouched party, a bullied Izuku and her heart broken. She is angry, to the point she wanted to march onto them and forcibly let her classmates spill the beans but she won't let her anger get ahead of her.

"Izuku should just kill himself for being use—"

Oh, that's it they jumped into a deadly trap.

Immediately her eyes deemed into something deadly and empty. She felt herself walked towards them filled with fury and anger. Every word stung only fuelling the fire that burned inside of her. Every violated phrase was like gasoline to it, her fists began to clench and her jaw rooted. 'Suicide' is one of the few forbidden words that they should never say in front of her unless they want to see hell themselves. She stopped in front of them, eyes gazing at their cores, clearly glaring daggers onto them. The group tried to bluff themselves out by demeaning aura being emitted by the blue-head.

"If it isn't the quirkless girl of the neighbourhood!" They tried to mock and tease her but to no avail her eyes continued to pierce them, not taking credit of their insults.

"W-What's with that stare?"

"You want to get beaten, huh?"

"D-Don't come near or else…!"

She raised an eyebrow, snorting at their façade and that they're obviously pretending, "Or else…? What?"

They shrieked in fear. But then, one of them tried to calm each other telling that Chiharu doesn't have a quirk and that she's just bluffing. She wanted to laugh on how oblivious and ridiculous her classmates' mind is.

"She's faking it! She's quirkless just like Midoriya!"

 _Forgive me, Izuku. But, I can't stand how these people ridicule you._

"Quirkless, huh?" She sighed, puffing her chest in annoyance then in a beat flashed her steely-gaze eyes that she is known for, "Then, I'll show you who's quirkless."

At first no-one moves, their brains unable to make sense of the input from their ears and feet. The ground is moving and the noise is like extended thunder only worse because the vibrations are coming from below. Then like a switch has been flicked everyone moves for safety, all of them on the autopilot mode that all consuming fear creates. The walls scream and the lights flicker rapidly before going out all together. Her hair began to rise up, pursuing her lips together as she tried to scare these kids off.

People began to scream, ducking under the machines, thinking that it was an earthquake. And then her classmates were nearly chocking their own spits, shaking and pleading for their lives. But she wasn't satisfied, she wanted to see them apologize for what they've said. So, she activated her quirk in her fullest. Suddenly, the machines and coin-slotted gizmos bit by bit floated in the air, as if they all had their own lives. All eyes gauged in fear, mouths hanging open as they witnessed that the girl that they mocked, teased and more so, thought that she is also quirkless has her own quirk as well; floating objects without touching anything at all.

You know what that means…?

 _She has a quirk._

 _A powerful one._

"I'm not done yet." She deadpanned, scowling at them in pure disgust. She's angry. She's frustrated. She feels betrayed. All sorts of emotion mixing down to her heart, and she couldn't figure out what to do. In order to make them spill the necessary information about Katsuki's whereabouts so that she could confront of him, she continued, "Wow, you're surprised. But things are just going to get exciting—that's just my first quirk."

"F-First!?"

"Y-You mean, you st-still have more?!"

"Y-You're crazy!"

She nodded, "I have…" She stopped, posing her fingers into two, smirking at them, "Two quirks."

"W-Wha—"

With a snap of her finger that resounded all throughout the building everything stopped. From the floating machines, to the people screaming and hiding, and to the classmates that are gauging their eyes. Their statement was cut off by the snap of her fingers. No sounds. No screams. No movements. Nothing. Everything stopped from what they're doing, and froze from their current position; _as if time stopped._ Sighing onto what she's seeing right now, she walked towards her classmates with only her tracks resounding throughout her environment. With only inches away from them, she observed their frozen features. Her quirk really is effective except of its side effects.

Droplets of blood trickled down to her nose, upon noticing the horrific sight, she immediately wiped it off. Then, alas, she snapped her fingers again and everything that was frozen moved. There's sounds. There's screams. There's movements. And all the floating objects was pulled down to their specific places. Coming face to face to them, she scowled at them and retorted, "Now, am I still quirkless?"

They can only freeze in terror; wobbling their legs in fear and tears trickling down their eyes. Playing a villain is something she's not good at all. All of the kids shakes their head, signalling that she's not.

"Then…" She paused, "Tell me everything about these 'fun' stuff you're talking about."

They nodded. And she was never been this pleased in her whole life.

Aragaki Chiharu has a quirk, but it's not really two at all. It was just really a single quirk, but possessing two psionic qualities.

Psionic Manipulation.

That is her quirk.

 _Sorry._

 _I lied._

* * *

"That's mean, Kacchan! Can't you see he's crying?" Izuku rumbled, tears threating to spill out from his eyes, tightening his grip at the hem of his shirt, "If you keep going…" He readied his shaking fighting stance, screaming at his outmost, " I-I'llnevelfolgiveyou!"

Katsuki snorted, "Even though you're quirkless." He clasped his fist together, creating some slight explosion as he exposed his deadly smile, alongside his minions who activated their quirks as well from behind, "You're pretending to be a hero, Deku?"

Deku screeched in fear as he tried to defend the sole person from his back who wanted to attend his party but failed when Katsuki tried to stop the kid. Then, the ash-blonde and his minions began to charge at him with their quirks, so he gathered his courage to shield and brace himself from the attack.

 _But nothing came…_

Katsuki and his minions were about to unleash their quirks when from afar there's a huge "vending machine" blasting towards their direction in awfully fast speed. Gawking on their eyes at the sight of the machine, they immediately halted their attacks and dodged from the raging object. While the minions rolled horrendously to the side, yelping in pain. The explosive kid launch an explosion onto the side and propelled himself to land perfectly. With a grim smile on his lips, he definitely where it came from and moved his crimson eyes to carefully searched for her and immediately it hit the jackpot. From afar, he saw something enticing making his smile of maliciousness grew even larger, Izuku released his arms from his face and turned to the direction where he saw someone familiar.

The wavy petrol-blue hair swayed back and forth from the gust of the wind, her brimming purple eyes blended perfectly to her raw emotion that she is currently feeling, her eyebrows furrowing in utter distress upon seeing her friend attack his own friend.

No more words.

No more explanation.

She is utterly disappointed.

She is mad.

The vending machine flew across to the big climbers, smashing onto it. Luckily, they dodged it or else they'll be smashed along that machine. As for Chiharu, there's a slight blood oozing from her nose, but tried her best to stand. After having some talk with her classmates, she's directed to go to this place where she witnessed the awful scene.

"C-Chi-chan!?"

Katsuki smiled dingily, "Finally, you showed your quirk, Haru!"

"Q-Quirk? Y-You mean, Aragaki has a quirk!?" One of his minions, surprisingly inquired for more gazing back and forth onto the two sides.

Chiharu walked, her fists digging in pure fury. There's no words that could express her anger right now. Because the root of all these bullying, of all the horrifying experiences Izuku is countering is pointing onto that pesky ash-blonde. And Katsuki has never seen her this mad, making him flinch a bit. He stepped on a fucking landmine!

"So you're the people who are bullying Izu-chan behind my backs, especially you, _Kacchan._ " Her words are sharped, most likely it would pierce them anytime soon. His name being mention are like swords stabbing his heart. He stopped from his trance, eyes widened in surprise. This is a different version of Chiharu, even Izuku who's crying softly to him stopped as he was afraid to see the angered version of Chiharu in front of his eyes.

But the obese kid responded, taunting her, "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Then, the kid with large teeth and long fingers answered as well, "We don't know what you're talking about. What are you saying? Did you have proof that we did it or something?" And together they laugh indignantly except for Katsuki who's processing the whole events happening in his eyes.

But then, something played, echoing their voices.

 _"The bucket is full of water!"_

 _"Not bad!"_

Izuku, the minions and especially Katsuki, gasped from what they're hearing; that's their voices!

 _"With this we can dump it onto stupid Deku's head!"_

 _"That useless and quirkless mutt, he believes that he can be a hero, so lame!"_

 _"We'll make everyone abandon Deku, even Chiharu!"_

 _"Besides, it's even ridiculous that he has friends to begin with."_

 _"Hey, are we going to the party Kacchan?"_

 _"Huh? Isn't that obvious? Of course not! Every one is not going to that lame party."Katsuki's voice trailed, then he continued, "That absolute quirkless little mutt!"_

Chiharu stopped the recorder midway; luckily all the "conversations" she held with her classmates paid off and received this important piece of evidence. Clearly, the voice does sound like them, especially it belongs to the boy she clearly knew.

She replied in stillness, "I got you the proof you were asking for. Do you have anything you want to say, _right,_ Kacchan?"

Katsuki gritted his teeth, trying to find his way out of this mess, "Ah—Wa—The—"

"Ah—Wa—The?" She repeated, adding some words, "What's that language? Could you even speak Japanese that I actually understand?" Then, her eyes met with his, and he swears there's something off with her eyes now that it's burning in fury, "Well, I know that there were three main offenders, and luckily, I know one of them, and supposedly he _is_ the ring leader. Now then, what should I do?" She trailed off, putting her hand onto her waist and scowled at them, "Should I broadcast all your great scheme and bullying to the school and let the principal expel you?"

But, Katsuki decided, he won't ever turn back not after all these things, he'll tell everything, he'll spill everything. If Chiharu is pissed then he is also pissed by the way things are going. He is declaring war.

He shot back, "Recording us, huh? You criminal!"

She deadpanned, "I think I don't care about what you're thinking right now."

"H-Hey, K-Kacchan. Isn't too dangerous!? Aragaki is so mad at us!"

"Y-You see that machine flying onto us! There's no doubt that that she'll uproot that tree this time! Let's get out of here!"

"Shut up! If you want to get out then don't drag me out to this!" He shouted, gazing directly to her, "I have tons of things to say about this, _liar._ "

Chiharu is taken aback by what he said but still kept her strong demeanour. Clenching her fist, as she knew something is about to blown up and all hell will break loose, she threatened the minions from Katsuki's back, "Get out, or else you wanted _another_ vending machine right onto your face."

"H-Heh, if K-Kacchan won't—"

"This time I won't _miss_." Her angry eyes that in any time it will devour their own existence seethes nothing but demise. Screeching onto their positions, they excused themselves from the park and went home, even the one whom Izuku is protecting ran off from the park.

Now, the only ones who's in the park is the raging Chiharu, furious Katsuki and crying Izuku. Rolling her eyes from distress, she turned her back from him and started towards the curly-green haired kid, without any care about Katsuki at all.

Ignoring is something he can't stand. Now that he wanted matters to be settled right now! Tightening his fist from pure agitation, he started to spout nonsense, "What the hell is that? Get angry! Get angry, damn it Haru!"

Still, she ignored his rants and continued her walk. She's utterly tired—tired of everything. Using her quirk is something tiring for her. And one thing is for sure, she can't be angry and lash out to her best friend. He is still her friend no matter how brash he is. Sure, she wanted to hit him with thousand questions but apparently, her heart is telling her not to.

"What's good with Deku, anyway? Answer me, Haru!"

"…"

"He is a weakling and a good-for-nothing! He can't even skip stones onto the riverbank! He sucks. He utterly sucks!"

"…"

"That's not the place where you belong to! You're wasting your damn talents!"  
"…"

"Heh, so what if we're bullying him! Because a quirkless stupid boy, he can't do anything! He deserves that!"

"…"

Hearing that from his childhood friend made Izuku cry for a moment, he is hearing what Katsuki really thinks of him and it really hurts for him.

"He is just a pebble! He can't be a hero! He is quirkless! Look, no one attended his party because he is so lame. You think anyone will be friends with him! No way!"

"…"

"In the end, Deku only relies on you. Without you, he is nothing. He can't even stand on his own two feet. He can't even protect you!"

"…"

"Midoriya Izuku is a good-for-nothing trash of—"

That was the breaking point of her patience. At that moment, she was blinded by a five-course serving of rage that tasted bitter, yet surprisingly satisfying. She reached out. Katsuki couldn't even follow her with his own two crimson orbs. She sprawled and went to punch him in the face.

"C-Chi-chan!?"

It emitted a loud _thud._ When her fist came in contact he fell to the ground wailing in pain, as she tried to shake the aching after taste, upon the taste buds of her hand. Much like coffee, its bitterness drew her in to take another sip knowing she would be more awake than minutes before. Katsuki and Izuku were so surprised—clearly—they never saw the coldness of her eyes like this before—the murderous intent.

She tackled him and held him down so he could not fight back. She seriously doubt he could've anyway as her fists continued to hit his face. She felt guilty, but she couldn't stop. So many years of subtle bullying that sunk deep into her mind and added a divine spice that completed the vexed dish she was serving. She knew she should've put an end to it, apologize before she made it worse, but she just didn't have it in her to stop. 'Trash' is another word on her dictionary that is forbidden for anyone to say or else she'll break that person's neck for doing so.

She stopped hitting him in the face, but instead she give soft punches on his, "I wanted to… ask… why…" Struggling from her grip, he tried to fight it back but saw something— _he really didn't want to see that._

 _Haru…_

 _Haru?_

Her voice shake, trying her best not to drop the tears that is clouding her vision. Pursuing her lips together, a subtle frown escape her lips, "I wanted to ask the reason on why you're doing this. Maybe, Kacchan has his own reasons, like that. But when I heard that you're the one who told our classmates not to go, I'm so sad. Why? All I wanted…is to be with you all. Stop fighting already. Let's keep the promise, okay? That's why…" She paused, emitting the words that he didn't wanted to hear at all, "Apologize already to Izu-chan."

"You've got to be kidding me… Why would I be the one apologizing?"

"Kacchan…?"

"Don't fucking joke around me!" He pushed her away from his, tumbling to the ground swiftly. Izuku, who is fed of the scene, immediately went to her aid. On the other hand, she is shocked, utterly shocked. Katsuki is so enraged. The thoughts, the feelings, all of it was bottled within him and he began to pour it out to her.

"You told me, right? That you're my ally, and yet you betrayed me!"

"K-Kaccha—"

"Don't butt in, Deku! The last thing I don't want to see is your ugly mug!"

Izuku stopped, flinching in return.

Then, Katsuki continued, spilling all of his feelings, "Izu-chan this… Izu-chan that… I'm so irritated! I'm so fed up by those names! All you ever talk about is this stupid Deku! You never even cared about me in the first place!"

"I-I'm not—"

"Shut up! Day by day, you're always with Deku, always eating lunch together, always playing around together, always being paired together. I'm so fed up already!"

"…"

"Every time we had our chance to be together all you spout is this stupid Deku. Look at me, damn it! You're always looking at Deku, it's been always like this! You never even look around you! I'm here, stupid! I am here, idiot!"

"…"

"Who fought those bullies? It's me! Who protect you from those bullies? It's me! Who stopped people spreading weird rumours about you!? It's me! The one beside you always is me! I've been with you ever since you're born and yet all you busy yourself is Deku, Deku, Deku! It annoys me!"

"K-Kacchan, I—I!"

"It's frustrating me. You should understand that from the beginning, I don't need those senseless idiot companions! My only friend is you, Haru! Yet you're so blind, you stick up to that quirkless mutt all single day! But like you say, I am the bad one then Deku is the good one! That's frustrating me!"

"…"

"It's been perfect for the two of us. If it wasn't for Deku coming to our lives, he stole you from me!"

"…"

"Also, don't play games with me. You're letting everyone spread those senseless rumours about you being quirkless so that he will also have his ally! Don't you ever lie to me! I knew it, ever since our birthday, ever since I manifested my quirk, you also manifested yours! Yet, you didn't told me anything! You, lot, have a fucking quirk! Tell that to damn Deku!"

"C-Chi-chan? Y-You… Why?" He asked, but she can't answer at all, as if there's a lump in her throat that's preventing her from telling anything.

"You told me that we will be together… You will be my ally! But what happened, you even side with Deku this time! You betrayed me, witch! You freaking liar…" This time he felt his throat clogged, and unnoticeably, tears flooded his line of sight. He hated to be vulnerable. He hated to let her see these tears especially him. But he hated these feeling inside him, "You liar… You told me that… Don't fucking leave me alone, damn it! Deku, don't fucking take her away from me!"

Those are genuine tears.

It's all she can say.

The strong Bakugou Katsuki is crying.

"Liar! Liar! Liar! Don't make promises you can't even keep! I'm sick of it and then you betrayed me… Was it fun to play with me?"

"No, I—"

"It's so fun, right? Now you have your freaking Deku! I don't need you anymore!"

"Eh?"

"K-Kacchan, st-stop i-it!"

"Shut up, Deku!"

"If you defended Deku then stay with him. I don't need you. Trash goes to trash. I don't need friends in the first place… I don't recognize you as a friend either! " He paused, shaking away the tears from his eyes and then continued, "I hate you, Ha—" Before he could complete his statement, a small stone knock his seething head off, realizing it was Izuku, he clearly snapped out of it, "Deku, you, you got a nick of—"

"S-Stop it, K-Kacchan!" For the first time, Izuku shouted, making him startled.

When it took the ash-blonde aside, he grabbed this a chance to heed him off, "S-Stop it. Can't you see? C-Chi-chan is crying!"

 _Eh…?_

 _Haru is…?_

The world turned into an abruptly slow motion. His eyes turned to look at Chiharu and saw something horrible—that he himself can't take it. The last thing he really didn't want to see in his whole life—crying. He didn't made her smile, he didn't made her laugh but he left her with her heart total in pieces.

Chiharu felt like she have gone deaf. Her heart squeezed, before the crashing sensation was replaced by loud, painful thumping, she couldn't breathe. As much as she tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream. A single tear slid down from her warm, purple eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flowed its way down her pale cheek, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside of her.

 _I see…_

 _Katsuki doesn't recognize me as a friend._

 _Katsuki thinks that I'm trash._

 _I am a liar._

 _I betrayed him._

 _I broke our promise._

 _I don't have the right to be close to him._

 _Katsuki hates me._

The worst word, rather statement, in the dictionary of her forbidden words is the statement that her very best friend threw to her—I hate you.

* * *

The next day in class, Izuku didn't received any bullying, nor any mocks or teases. Rumours about Chiharu immediately depleted, and everyone apologized to Izuku. They even decided to throw him a surprise birthday party just to make it up for it. There were cakes, delicious food, fun music, classmates giggling, games and present. It was totally worth it. But, somehow, there's something in this party that is missing.

The arrogant and impulsive demeanour of a certain ash-blonde explosive kid.

The warm presence and heart-warming smile of a certain petrol-blue psionic girl.

 _They are not here._

Today, Bakugou Katsuki and Aragaki Chiharu is absent from class today.

Staring onto his pinkie dully, his lips curving downward, he still remembered the day they promised together; on that rainy day.

 ** _Pinky promise. We'll always be together forever, and stick to each other like bubblegum under the table of the stinky table of the principal."_**

 ** _"That's gross, you know."_**

 ** _We laughed for a bit then smile at each other so freely._**

I mumbled, tears clouding my vision, " _I guess… promises are meant to be broken…after all…"_

 _I couldn't keep the promise neither Kacchan or Chi-chan._

 _They are my best friends._

 _I love them!_

 _But…_

 _I couldn't do anything… to protect our friendship…_

This day is the worst birthday ever.

* * *

Author's Note:

You might think Chiharu's quirk is too OP or mary-sue but honestly, she's not. There's so many downside to that and I will discuss it in the future chapters. So far having psionic manipulation as a quirk will be able to make the user use three or more psionic powers. So I revealed the two psionic powers that she has mainly psychokinesis and making time stop (If you don't get it, I'm sorry, I'm bad at details and I strive to be better to it).

EDIT: I downgraded it into two because ppl might think she is mary-sue and at the same time, having two quirks is believably awesome already (I think she can't handle that much considering her frail body)

I'm not going to make her OP. Yep, yep, yep, trust me. Anyway, thank you for the comments! I really appreciated those things. It drives me to write moooooreeee. So, drop your thoughts again and I would love to see your reactions in today's chappie. Thank you very much!


	8. Chapter 8: The Great Adventures of

Chapter 8: The Great Adventures of Little Shoto and Carefree Ryuuji

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! If you haven't noticed, in my previous chapter, Chiharu has three quirks but I decided to scratch the idea off and remained into two quirks; stopping time and psychokinesis. Well, I've thought that if the person is having a third quirk, I won't be able to imagine how drastic that person's life to be. If she has three quirks then her body will malfunction and it might result to constricting challenges in her mind.

Chiharu is not a Nomu after all so I restricted her into having two. And to those who are worrying about her being Mary-sue, you don't have to worry. She won't be the greatest among the rest like scoring 1st place in everything they've done. She will always be your regular normal girl with a bright smile in her face.

Today's chapter won't be discussing her dispute with Katsuki, rather, I'll be giving you some fluff! YEEEEYYYY. Thank you everyone for reading! I hope you'll stick until the end!

* * *

Ryuuji is seating on one of the tables, cooking his favorite Okonomiyaki in the stove in front of him. The savouring smell stings his nose, imagining this delicious dish on his mouth gives him heaven. On a second note, before he forgot, he is waiting for someone that he knew for years and because of his friend's job, they rarely meet up.

The sliding door opened with a loud thump, his eyes hovered to the door and saw the arrival of a certain person he's waiting for. Puffing his cheek and squinting his eyes to scrutinize his punctuality, the guy has a slender body with an average height. He has messy, shoulder-length black hair that partially hangs in front of his face and often half-opened black eyes. He sports a ragged black outfit that consists of a long-sleeved shirt and matching pants that tuck into his boots.

His overall appearance screams worn-out as if he just rolled out of bed. His facial hair remains unkempt and his eyes almost always looked tired and droopy. His feet led him to the table where Ryuuji is residing onto. Once he has fully sat down, Ryuuji gave him an earful.

"Come on, you're so late Shota!"

Shota sighed, "Being a Pro Hero is tough. We're not fooling around or anything."

With his trademark, a sheepish grin hurriedly curved onto his features, "Sorry, Sho-chan~"

"Stop calling me that." He groaned lazily, watching Ryuuji serves the said dish in their plates. There are bottles of boozes on their side, and Shota knew that his friend will be ranting about his life again. Upon imagining the situation, he wanted to leave already.

"So, you wanted to rumble about something, right?"

The spiky-haired guy clapped his hands in a carefree manner, "As expected of Sho-chan~"

"Stop calling me that already."

With that final retort, they had a peaceful eat out session, sharing some stories about their works and on how it is a total pain in the butt to deal with some shenanigans that they really hated. They shared some booze while they're at it, and after a few drinks he began to discuss the real matter.

"Look! Look! This is my daughter—Chiharu! Isn't she cute?" Ryuuji presented a picture of Chiharu, hugging her mother with a gigantic sunshine smile plastered on her features. Shota's eyes roamed around Taira's features though, reminiscing the past where the three of them together. Seeing her made him asks a few 'what if's' in mind but decided to shrug it off. Since, he chose the path of becoming a pro hero and he won't regret the decision he took, even if he loses the girl that he loved.

That's right, Shota, Ryuuji and Taira were middle schoolmates; practically they'll do anything that they wanted. The well-known trio, doing bunch of random things. Although, he likes her, he never did pursue her because he knows that if he wanted something, he needed to drop one valuable thing to pursue another one. Having Taira or pursue to become a hero? It's excruciating for him that his unrequited love goes on and on and on till he dies—he'll chase after his dream. Still, he wonders how she's doing after all the years that they never met. Just like that, Ryuuji can read him like a book.

"Shota, Taira is alright. In case, you're worrying though."

"I'm not worried about that woman."

He chuckled, then proceeded to talk about his story, "She looks like Taira, right? Chiharu is a sweet, loving, happy and cute child, you know! Ahhhh, I'm glad to have a daughter like her." He continued, "By the way, she wanted to be a pro hero! Guess what, her favourite hero is…." Pacing for a bit, he pointed his index finger to him, "Eraser Head!"

"Geez, don't gossip me to your child."

"Sorry. Sorry. But she likes you other than pro heroes even All Might. Cross my heart!"

Dismissing the idea, Shota tried to change the subject, "Then?"

"A-Err. You see…" He frowned, thinking about yesterday's happenings with his daughter, "Yesterday, she came home crying and with a high fever. It's really high to the point that she collapsed in front of us with her nose bleeding nonstop!"

"Maybe, it's due to her quirk?" Shota answered, trying to reassure his friend with subtle approach.

"Y-Yes, it is. According to the doctor, she used her quirk up to her weight limit and here she is. But, what worries me is when she woke up crying telling me that she lost her friends."

"Isn't that an ordinary children spat?"

He let out a sad smile to his features, circling the glass of booze in his hand as he sighed, "You might look other children as an immature brats but Chiharu isn't like that. Apparently, she's not even enjoying her childhood life. She gets bullied at school but still knocks those bullies out; telling me she's protecting her friend but still it worries me that she'll grew up unhappy."

With his dealfish eyes, he began to sigh, thinking that his friend already matured up about thinking his family. Earlier in their age, he recalled that Ryuuji is nothing but a happy-go-lucky guy who seemed to average and like that, he didn't cared about his surroundings.

Truly, he is a father already.

Shota tried, his eyes reaching his limit, he wanted to sleep already after the exhausting day so he began to speak up his own perception, and "It's nice that you're thinking that but, what's your plan?"

Ryuuji's mood began to lighten up, cheerfully and bouncing onto his seat, "I will surprise her with a huge cake! Then, we will go to the Zoo as promised to her, or maybe the Amusement Park or by the beach. Ah, by the way, it's Taira and I's anniversary tomorrow. And, I plan to marry her again!" With all the happy ideas roaming around him, he immediately depleted and sighed, "I can't really do anything. But, I really wanted to marry Taira in a proper wedding reception just like all other woman's dreams. I also wanted to make Chiharu happy by supporting and guiding her with all my might."

It's rare for Shota to smile. If anything else that could make him smile, its people suffering in the palm of his hand. But, the sight of his best friend marrying the girl he gave up onto, really didn't made him regret everything he has done. First of all, he is glad that he entrusted Taira to him and with that they're living the so-called happy family. Then, his black eyes roamed around Ryuuji's wrist filled with "marks".

"By the way, are you still taking your medicine?" He asked.

Ryuuji stopped from his rumbling, looking onto his wrist and saw the scars that he made due to being depress. It's always been like this, and it got worse when he began working as a civil servant. Depression is no joke. And because it's not just a term where you can easily get off two, his wife insisted to take him in a psychologist and continue undergoing the therapy. Although, he tried to refuse, but when his inner demons began to attack him again, and tried to slit his wrist again. She dragged him onto having one again.

He smiled sheepishly to Shota, scratching the back of his head, "Y-Yeah. Chiharu saw me in that state. And, it broke my heart. I don't want to lose to myself. I don't want to lose my family. So, I will do my best to become the best father and husband."

"You already are." Shota deadpanned, continuing, "So, don't worry about what others think about you. What really matters is what your family thinks of you from now on. They rely on you, after all. Above all, it's not I whom she's fond of, Chiharu's hero is you—Ryuuji. That's why, get a grip of yourself and plan on how you'll deal your anniversary or whatever…"

"Wow, as expected of Pro Hero: Eraser Head! You give the best advices!"

"Shut up."

Ryuuji stopped laughing, and paused to look at his best friend, "Shota, whatever happens, I'm entrusting Taira and Chiharu in your hands."

"Don't jinx yourself, idiot." Shota stopped, delivering his final message, "Plus, I'm a hero so it's my responsibility to look after you."

* * *

Ryuuji went home sluggishly. Drinking and rumbling about his problems to Shota is something he missed but at the same time, he nearly forgot that he has work to do tomorrow. It felt nostalgic, if anyone would ask him. Looking back to the good ol' times, he wished that there will come a time wherein they'll be drinking in a cosy place; the three of them.

Knocking onto the door, it swings open and he's immediately greeted by a flying shoe which he dodged quickly due to his reflexes. Taira stood at the entrance, puffing her cheeks and wrapping her arms around her.

"What do you think the time is already, bastard!?" She yelped, her eyes screaming terror and burning fury. Instead of being scared of his wife, he chuckled it out with his carefree smile and replied earnestly, "I had a drink with Shota~"

Hearing her friend's name brushes off the mad demeanour she just executed a few moments ago. Curving up a huge grin on her face, her eyes twinkle and her whole expression change; inviting him inside to rest himself.

"So, how is he? Is he still the dull-looking, dead fish, no-life Sho-chan?"

"Yes. Yes. He is still the old Sho-chan." Ryuuji chuckled, plopping down to the sofa as he relaxes himself for a bit. As for Taira, she presented a glass of water to replenish his husband's dying self as she as well sat next to him.

"How's Chiharu?" Of course, he'll be worried about his daughter first. It is stated by the doctor of her overusing her quirk is nearly dangerous to her well-being. Another attempt will cause another disrupting happenings to her body. Upon hearing her daughter's name, the goofy smile on her lips changed into a frown.

"As you can see, her fever is going down but she's been crying endlessly." Taira stated, her fingers fidgeting worriedly. Not even minding his wholesome headache and his desire to dive onto the mushy bed, he patted his wife's head; assuring her with a smile and stood up, heading towards his daughter's room. She began to tag along as well, confronting their daughter.

As parents it saddens them to see their only child crying for some reasons. The only thing that they could do is try for her to open up, and it wasn't easy for them as well. Chiharu grew up to be such an independent girl, she never once tried to talk to her parents about some recent problems. She didn't even talked about the bullying incident, making them worried.

Sniffles and hiccups were heard inside her room. Bit by bit, the sounds of her sad emotions were breaking their hearts apart. Ryuuji and Taira walked inside, sitting beside her as they tried to confront her about these things.

"Chiharu, Mom and Dad are here because we're worried sick of you. Tell us what really happened. You only mentioned of having a fight with Katsuki-kun, that's all." Taira exclaimed, giving her a glass of water to calm her veins for a bit. On the other hand, he wiped the tears from her eyes, reassuring her with a smile, "We're your parents, Chiharu! So you've got to trust and tell it to us, we're all in this together you know."

"E-Ever since Izuku told us that we're quirkless, he g-got bullied and I-I tried to protect him by pretending to be quirkless."She snivelled, trying to form her statement completely. Though, the complete revelation of her pretending to be quirkless as well made them be wary of her decisions. Confused about her decision, Chiharu decided to continue to tell her story. From the moment she lied to her friends into having her confrontation with her best friend—Katsuki. All of it including his schemes in bullying Izuku, revealing her quirk and receiving all those hateful words from him. She even concluded that even Izuku hated her now for being such a big-ass liar.

Ryuuji patted her head, trying his best to calm herself. Seeing her eyes getting sore from all the tears she cried, with all whimpers and sniffles she endured, hurts him. Cupping both of her rounded cheeks to his calloused hands, he smiled at him, "But, that doesn't mean you won't be friends ever again. You see, maybe, Katsuki-kun isn't mad about you lying, he's mad because he's always been there with you all these time but you never reached out and called for his help."

Taira added, brushing her daughter's hair, "Plus, Izuku-kun won't hate you. That little guy will surely understand what you did and he'll forgive you eventually. You are his hero, after all."

"Katsuki-kun might look like a bit brash. But, as a man, I know that he really likes you a lot and a bit overprotective. You're his only friend, Chiharu."

"Sorry, Mom and Dad." She apologized, biting her lip in frustration, "Every day, you worked hard for me; not sleeping, getting busy and sometimes going to work even if you're busy. I don't want to be a burden to you."

"E-Eh?"

"Because you'll be worried about me, and your plans about our everyday lives won't be the way you planned." She frowned, her eyes tearing up again.

"Chiharu, it's alright. We wanted to take good care of our little munchkin here. Plus, that's our responsibility as our parents, we're glad that we're giving you a good and peaceful life.

"Your mom's right. Let us spoil you." He wrapped her into his arms, hugging her tightly, "You're our greatest treasure. You are the best thing that happened to us so don't cry. By the way, tomorrow we will be eating together again after the longest time! That's why, don't be sad, tomorrow will be a great day!"

"That's right, tomorrow is our Anniversary so we wanted our little Chiharu to smile!"

"Dad, you know what, you're my greatest hero!" When she declared those words—those precious words that meant the whole world to him. Eventually, his whole vision began to blur. He didn't noticed the tears came flooding his eyes, sliding down to his cheeks. _Those are the words that he really wanted to hear._ He didn't expect for him to cry in this age, and he didn't except for him to cry instead of Chiharu. Suddenly, he remembered Shota's words a while ago, and indeed it's a fact. Whimpering a bit, brushing off the water flooding his eyes, he emotionally gave his cackle as he nodded to his daughter.

Taira could help but smile upon seeing his husband, grasping upon hope. Despite having depression, he tried his best to live out his life even though society degrades him.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Chiharu!"

* * *

Ryuuji walks like a speed racer claiming for its price. There's this eerily feeling creeping towards him, rapid footsteps from afar matches his. After buying the cake from the cake shop for Chiharu, apparently, he got stalked by some… some… kid. If it's some old man or some creepy bastard, he would immediately run the hell and call some cops. But he couldn't take his eyes off of him, now that he is 'clearly' following him. So, in order to outrun and the reveal the little boy's identity, he planned something tricky. Turning onto his left, he walked inside of an unfamiliar street.

The boy has no choice but to follow Ryuuji to his tracks, but with all his excitement died down when he bumped onto the man itself; landing butt first.

"I got you, finally." Ryuuji crouched, lifting the boy onto his two feet. The boy has short hair, evenly split between white on his right-side and red on his left. His left eye is wrapped with bandages as for his right eye, it's tainted with color grey. Judging by the kid's appearance, he is the same age as Chiharu.

Patting the boy's head softly, he churned out a smile to assure him that he is in good hands, "I am Aragaki Ryuuji." He paused, glancing onto the box of cake the kid has been ogling his eyes for ages, and "I will be giving you a cake if you're going to tell me your name."

At first, he hesitated, chewing his lower lip as he remembered the ol' golden rule taught by their parents that children must not talk to any strangers. He tried to muster up the courage not to answer Ryuuji's question but his stomach failed his attempts; grumbling in the process. Embarrassed by the turn of events, he averted his eyes from him and answered weakly, "T-Todoroki… Shoto…"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do something bad to you." Ryuuji chided. As much as he wanted to go straight to his home, give Chiharu her cake and celebrate their wedding anniversary, but he couldn't leave this child alone at all. He seemed to be lost and hungry, so he decided to take him to the nearest family restaurant.

Little Shoto didn't hesitate at all. As soon as the orders were presented to their tables, he gulped everything onto his tiny mouth which Ryuuji found amusing. Sipping his coffee, he tried to reach him out, "Hey, Todoroki-kun, was it? Where's your parents?"

When he uttered the word 'parents' immediately Shoto's world froze, if he could imagine, there would be big icicles sprouting from their seats and everything went so cold. A frown escaped from the boy's lips, dropping his spoon onto the table and sat straight, "I ran away from home."

"Oh why?"

"Because, I wanted to visit mom in the hospital but my father tells me not to."

"Isn't it because it's dangerous? I think your father only wants the best from you."

"Father only wants my power. I don't have friends, nor playmates. I only have my mother but she was sent in the hospital because of something that happened." He paused, gripping onto the hem of his shirt, "They said mom's scary and crazy that she… she…" Tears spilled down to his cheeks, aggressively wiping them bit by bit, "I miss… mom… so… I want to find her… I want to see her…"

Hearing his story made Ryuuji a bit sad, although, he doesn't want to tolerate the kid's decisions but his genuine tears made his heart quench. Puffing out some air at the top of his lungs, he reached out and brings out his handkerchief, "Don't cry… You must have been lost. But, running away from home is bad. If your mother hears you did that she'll be upset."

"I-I just w-want my life back… I just want to be happy…" But Shoto didn't stop crying, several hiccups and sniffles escaped his lips. On the other hand, Ryuuji sighed. Glancing onto his wristwatch that reads 5 o' clock, he thought of something brilliant. Since, he got an early dismissal coming from his boss to celebrate his wedding anniversary with Taira, which he should be at his house right now; surprising Taira and stuff but instead got stuck with Shoto.

He brought the cake in the table, unwrapping from the box, the cake displays a cute strawberry shortcake with a bit written message that states; Cheer up! We love you, Chiharu! He sliced one triangular shape from the circle and bring it onto the little boy's plate.

"You wanted this cake right? You're really hungry that you go and stalk people with food. But, never do that again, people nowadays are nasty people." He plastered a large grin to his features, "Todoroki-kun, cheer up!"

Shoto is taken aback from his situation. Eyes widened and his mouth agape, he nearly passed out to the sight of the delicious cake he stalled for, "B-But M-Mister I-!"

"It's Aragaki Ryuuji, Todoroki-kun. Plus, we got some a bit time before this good ol' mister goes home, let's have some fun before I drop you home."

"F-Fun? B-But, j-judging from th-this cake it m-must be for…" He reads out the written message within the cake, "C-Chiharu…san?"

"It's alright. Plus, if Chiharu heard about this she'll be glad as well. I can buy her a new one. You can have that cake, take it home and share it within your household! After you finish some cake, let's have some fun before going home."

* * *

Ryuuji introduced Shoto in the Arcade, which means there will be tons of prizes and games to play with. They played a lot of games especially where they earn so much tickets to win some merchandises. In the claw machine, Ryuuji even won a stuff toy, a cute mini panda, which he gave to Shoto eventually.

After the arcade they went to the nearby Festival, celebrating something that Ryuuji didn't what it is. Dropping by to the place, he escorted Shoto to some good booth games and won bit prizes. He won't lie, he had fun even if he's just spending his money to this random stranger. It felt like he has some kind of connection to this kid, plus, just seeing the innocent smile of Shoto makes him warm inside. Seeing him made him deduce that he haven't experienced any of this judging by his reactions.

After dropping by for an hour, Ryuuji finally bought another cake for Chiharu. With a bit awkwardness mixing within them, Shoto started the conversation first which made Ryuuji a bit surprised.

"Umm… Ryuuji-san, what kind of person is this Chiharu?"

He reached out onto his wallet, fishing out the picture of his two lovely ladies, immediately giving it to the little boy. His index finger pointed onto his wife, Taira, which he proudly stated a lovely wife then his finger landed onto the grinning Chiharu beside her mother.

"I wish I could really let you meet Chiharu. She's a sweet girl that really loves her friends. And I'm sure, she will be glad to be her friend. So, in the near future, if you happen to meet her, be nice to her and surely, she'll offer you that greatest smile on her features." He paused, smiling at Shoto, "Aragaki Chiharu. Don't ever forget her name."

Shoto wondered onto her picture. His eyes extremely twinkling in interest, carving out a smile to his features. If he ever sneaked out of his house again, he'll be friends with this kind girl. Upon receiving the cake, Ryuuji dropped to the nearest jewellery shop to buy a fine ring that serves as a gift to his wife. After few years of grinding his butt of, sulking all the gossips and hurtful words, he save up much money to propose to his wife _again._ Well, they did got married but by only through the face of law. And he knew that every girl's dream is to get married in their dream wedding so he strive to give her the perfect wedding that she desires.

 _Taira will surely be surprised by this._

It's already 8:00 in the evening, this time he'll be escorting Shoto in the nearest police station and contact his parents. The little boy admitted to have fun. The frown in his lips a while ago were replaced by the fun and ravishing smile. Clutching firmly to the box of cake, stuff toy and stash of pro hero cards, he looks forward to go home.

"Thank you, Mister! I really had fun!"

"That's good to hear!"

Ryuuji couldn't wait anymore. He'll have a blast with his family. It's been a while ever since they had a fun dinner night together and this time, it will be the night they'll never forget! Of course, he'll be proposing then he'll marry off somewhere again. Everything is going perfect. Forget all the bad moments in his life. He'll be starting a new one. After this, he'll be resigning and he'll be applying to other jobs that has no toxic environment—anything that won't trigger his mental disorder.

 _Everything is perfect._

 _Not until…_

His eyes lifted up towards the road and his eyes widened in surprise. A huge truck is rushing towards them, seemingly, the driver is… knock unconscious? His purple eyes immediately landed onto the shock Shoto beside him. There's no way… There's no way he'll let this kid die. For the mean time, he thinks the time stopped. Adrenaline rushed throughout his veins. He should do something! He has to do something! He won't let Shoto die!

For a bit, he heard it… He heard all the mocking tones and voices of the people who belittled him. Denying everything that he is a trash of society, anxiety rushes to his mind and his heart beats fast. As if his inner demons are swallowing him again, he was knocked out from his train of thoughts by the tight grip of Shoto into his hands.

Of course, he has to do something…

A hero won't hesitate to help others in need.

After all…

A hero doesn't need to have a quirk…

A hero doesn't need to be the one in the battlefield…

A hero is a person who still has a courageous heart despite the things happening to them.

A hero rescues people with a smile on their faces.

 ** _"Dad, you're my greatest hero!"_**

His body move at its own accord. Everything like it was going in slow motion. He grabbed onto Shoto's wrist, hurling him away from the scene. Before he says anything, let alone move, a huge force smashed into Ryuuji—ringing all throughout the whole neighborhood.

 _I'm sorry… Taira… Chiharu…_

Shoto could only sit a few inches away from the drastic scenario. His eyes filled with tears, his whole body shaking in fear. Then his whole attention shifted towards the pool of blood oozing towards him. The huge truck's driver seat is literally crashed into a sandwich. The box of cake for Chiharu smashed into pieces. Shoto noticed something that made his heart crashed even more; the box of ring is smashed—really smashed into pieces then on the other side, there's the tiny glittering thing rolling endlessly and finally stopped, sitting at the top of his own blood—the wedding ring that Ryuuji treasured the most.

A few moments ago, Ryuuji is smiling… He's telling him that he's going to marry his wife again… He's going to spoil his daughter to a cake… They'll be eating together again… That's what he is telling him a few moments ago! B-But, why… He's such a good person!

"R-Ryuuji-san!"

* * *

"Ryuuji is a bit late…" Taira frowned, staring upon the feast she prepared onto the table. Glancing upon the clock ticking at the top of their door, she stood up from the chair; not noticing that she bumped onto Ryuuji's cup, sliding down to the table and… _crash!_

"Oh my…" She gasped, kneeling in front of it and she started to pick up the pieces from the floor. Then, a sharp piece stings her finger, revealing a slight ooze of blood in her fingers. She has a bad feeling about this…

"Mom… Don't worry about, Dad! Maybe, he bought a gift for you!" Chiharu tried to cheer her mother with her outmost strength. Taira could only nod, pointing her to the living room since some pieces of the cup is still on loose and she might get pricked.

She willingly obeyed and rushed towards the living room. Well, she's sort of worried about his father's situation but she hold on to that promise that Ryuuji made; he'll be home and have a dinner with them. He promised! Plopping onto the sofa, she grabbed the remote controller and moved the channel onto the Evening news.

 _"Good Evening everyone! A man on his late thirties is found dead in a car accident after saving a kid from getting hit. Apparently, the driver is reported to be unconscious by a certain villain that is running on lose these past few days. After the tragic incident, the villain is reprimanded by the Pro heroes—Eraser Head and Ms. Joke!"_

"Eraser Head is featured in the television, surprisingly!" She stated in awed, but then the next few words from the news lady didn't seem to be good to her.

 _"We just got the information. The identity of the man has been thoroughly investigated._ " The picture of Ryuuji flashed on the screen as the lady continued, "The victim is _Aragaki Ryuuji_."

At those words, everything went blur to Chiharu.

 _That c-can't be…_

 _It must be a mistake…_

 _That's not her dad…_

 _Her dad…_

 _Her dad will be bringing her a cake._

 _Her dad promised to have dinner with them!_

 _They'll be enjoying the food that her mother cooked._

 _They'll be smiling and laughing..._

 _TODAY!_

"E-Eh? N-No way..." She muttered, a single tear slid down from her eye; crashing her heart into pieces.

 _Dad!_

* * *

Author's Note:

Who said I won't be giving angst? It's still not over! Everyone needs to suffer, even me! This chapter is tooooo long. Anyway, thank you for supporting my fanfic! Thank you for the comments and I'm soooo glad to read them all.


	9. Chapter 9: King and Queen

Chapter 9: King and Queen

* * *

Sometime earlier…

After reprimanding the villain, Shota told Emi to handle the mass media and interviews as he went hurriedly to his dying friend. Going inside the crime scene, his eyes widened upon the situation that he didn't really wanted to see; especially to his friend. Walking slowly to his body, he saw Ryuuji gasping and trying to maintain his consciousness despite of losing so much blood. Shota knew already—that he won't last long. But the only thing he could do is to be with him, knowing that after his death, things won't be the same again.

He tried to sit him up and looked at him with a worried expression plastered to his features. But he couldn't sit up; he can't with his whole body crashed and utterly destroyed.

Shota spoke, "Ryuuji… I'm here."

Despite the lack of air, he replied, but his answer is quite saddening, "What's happening…? I can't see anything… It's all blurry… I… I…"

"Don't speak. The ambulance will be coming soon so stay put." Shota tried to reassure him, but when he observe the situation, he knew that Ryuuji will be saying his farewell soon.

"Todo…roki-kun? I can't see… him... Is he… safe?"

"Yeah, the kid was taken by the cops. Ryuuji you should just stay quiet and preserve your energy…"

"Please… listen to my last… rants… Shota…"

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of Ryuuji's vision and the only thing he could hear was Shota's voice. His breath came in ragged, shallow gasps, "I…finally did it… I was able to… save someone without… a quirk… with my own two hands…" He paused, continuing his statement, "I am happy... so happy but... I..." Even though he is so proud that he saved someone, even though he finally fulfilled his dream to become a hero somehow there's a pitch black hole inside him—empty and deserted. Suddenly, tears flooded his eyes, whimpering ecstatically to Shota.

"It's vexing...I don't want to die..."

Shota's gripped tightened.

"Taira... and Chiharu needs me..."

He bit his lip.

"I don't want to die..."

He listens as his friend plead for his life.

"Who will... drop Chiharu day by day in her school?" He hiccupped, crying endlessly.

Shota couldn't accept his rumblings.

"Taira is stressed out already..."

He wishes he could save his best friend.

"Sorry..." Ryuuji apologized, again and again and again. "Sorry…" Hitching his breath, he continued, "Yet I... become a burden again..."

But this time, Shota had enough of him apologizing to himself and spoke up, "Taira won't ever say that neither your child. She looks up to you. For her, even though you don't have a quirk, you're her hero. Plus, without you, the kid you saved won't be living. It's all because of you… Hero-san."

"Yes... I'm glad... Tell Taira that I forgot to buy her favorite pudding... sorry..."

"Chiharu is a good girl... But at least I wanted to tell her... to spend her childhood days wisely... I want her to live and love herself..."

"Sorry..."

"Shota…" Ryuuji chuckled weakily, his face paling due to the inadequate amount of blood in his body, "I can't feel anything… I leave my family to you. Protect them please."

"Of course, that's the job of a Pro hero."

"I wanted to see their smiles…" Ryuuji requested, his mind getting hazy. So, Shota took the bloodied wallet beside him, pulling out the blood-drenched picture that he treasured the most; wiping out the blood in the process and pressed it to Ryuuji's hand.

He felt the picture in his grasps, whimpering and crying endlessly, "Please tell them... I love them so much... more than anything in this world... Sorry... Taira… Chiharu… I lo…ve… yo….u…"His eyes slowly closed, and slowly his hands slid down from the picture landing onto the ground. An awful feeling started to spread in Shota's chest, he fought it off, clinging to the dim hope. But then, he felt that again, the feeling of losing someone he treasures the most.

* * *

Chiharu couldn't believe what's happening within her. She didn't expect everything that just unfold within a span of time. She didn't expect to meet her father next is in the coffin already. Although, her heart is twisted in so many different levels. It felt like everything went cold, frozen and numb. She couldn't feel anything at all. She couldn't cry. She couldn't mourn. She wanted to cry out loud but there's something clogging her throat; something stopping her from letting out her emotions. She could only do is to stare the peaceful picture of his father, seating within the coffin and feel remorse as her mother stared blankly to the floor.

 _"I heard that Aragaki saves a kid!"_

 _"No way! That good-for-nothing guy? Who will believe such a suck-ass story?"_

 _"Pfft… At least make that guy be a hero and a good guy on his day."_

Even after her father's death, mocks and gossips were still heard all throughout the hall. These people aren't even embarrassed that they talk ill about the dead; making her angered in return. In the first place, why are these people even here anyway? To feel better? To show sympathy? Clutching tightly to the hem of her dress, she gnashed her teeth. They don't deserve to be here. At the very least, she knows that her father wants them out.

 _"Well, he died a painful death but up until the end he can't be what he wanted to be. At least, he's already dead."_

That's it. So much for all the patience she swallowed, no one has the privilege to bad mouth her father. She's about to leave her seat and confront those low-level people when another man stood up; blocking her view. When she saw the man, she couldn't help but be shocked. She didn't expect that above all the people in this congregation, her favourite Pro Hero attended the ceremony of her father. Plus, he's not alone—her mom is there as well confronting those ill-mannered guest.

"Hey." Shota called out, making Ryuuji's officemates turned and scrunched their eyes; Scrutinizing his appearance as if he's a beggar begging for food because of the way he clothe himself. But he knew their disgusted looks and their rotten attitudes, well, he's too used to these looks. But Chiharu is different, she's surprised that her favourite pro hero is here, standing in front of her.

"If you're just going to bad-mouth the dead, why not leave? At least, Ryuuji did good things before he died; saving a child in the process. Well, how about you? Aren't you just insecure of yourselves because a quirkless guy can do more things than a normal quirk user? That's so sad, telling people about their own speck, why not face a mirror and look at yourselves? Pitiful creatures." Shota just dropped the bomb in front of these people. He swears he wanted to tie their mouths shut for being rude of his best friend. But, he kept his composure, his professionalism when it comes to these things.

"Huh? Who are you anyway? We're just being honest here!"

Somebody interfered with their bickering. A familiar voice echoed all throughout, emerging from afar is Taira's cold stare that can make anyone freeze at any moment. She doesn't have the time to be dealing with bunch of gossipers during her husband's funeral.

"I apologize but I think you should leave the funeral, ma'am and sir." She bowed intimately to them, earnestly trying to be a professional.

"We're just here because we think that you could use some money for the funeral. Well, we know that Aragaki cannot afford it, even his own funeral."

She returned, standing straight her turquoise eyes blaring coldness and stillness, "How much are you going to donate?"

"Hmpf. I think 20,000 Yen will do? Why are you running that really low? Well, I will give it to you ea—"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she reached out to her bag, pull out a huge sum of money tied together and immediately slapped it the obnoxious woman's face, making the people gossiping stopped and drop their mouths. Taira harshly threw the stash of money to them, glaring daggers, "Here. Take this and leave."

"How dare you woman!?"

"Ryuuji had enough already. All his life he heard about all your insecurities and stuff. You've pushed him into death a few times. May you please respect the dead?" She paused, then deadpanned her hands clutching together so tight that it will a few marks, "I don't need your pity nor your money. You can suck it to your ass. Hell, I don't even fucking care what you'll do."

"Well, aren't you too rude for your husband? Saying those rubbish words. I guess you got caught out into his uselessn—"

Another stash of money hit the woman across to her face. The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Just below her eye was a small cut where the ring had caught her. She staggered backwards, clutching her face, eyes watering.

"Oh, I guess it's not enough? Here's another 50,000 to make it up for you. I don't need your useless rambling and I don't need your opinion." She stepped forward, rapidly tugging the collar of the woman's blouse as she shriek in fear. But Taira didn't waiver, she's in a mess and right now she doesn't need anyone speaking ill to her husband, "Remember, I can buy you with everything I have." Then she threw the woman in the ground, "Scram trash! I don't fucking need you—all of you! If you don't want to see your fucking asses in the hospital, leave now!"

With that being said, every being who are backstabbing Ryuuji left out of fear. Squirming and whining as they marched out of the hall; leaving a few people who clearly is part of Ryuuji's life. When everyone is gone, her legs weakened; sliding slowly in the floor. Her breathing became ragged, gasping and pleading for some water. Chiharu arrived with a cup of water in her hand and give it to her. Chugging the water in her grasps, she pulled out a loud exhale in her mouth.

"You don't really have to go that far, Taira." Shota kneeled down in front of her, staring upon her dull eyes.

"Sorry, Shota. It's just that I couldn't forgive them for telling those things to Ryuuji. At least, I could give him a proper burial." Taira glanced onto the stashes of money lying on the floor, slowly fading bit by bit. Apparently, she used her other quirk—Illusion—to make those fake money and scare these people. Usually, the black-haired woman isn't really good in debates. Moreover, every time she uses her energy to be agitated it will leave into panic attacks.

"Clearly, you didn't. But, I am surprised and surely, Ryuuji is shocked by the way you scared those mugs off."

She brought her attention to him, eyes watering in his response as she bits her lower lips to supress all the feelings she currently has, "I—I… Shota… I—I… don't know… I can't…. Ryuuji is… I—I don't know how… Without… him… I…"

Shota reached out to his pocket and brought out a handkerchief. Unwrapping it from its folds, it revealed a polished silver ring. She is taken aback from the ring, staring at it with utter confusion. He took the ring and handed it to her pale hands; making sure she enclosed it into a fist, "Before he died, in the day of your anniversary, he planned to propose to you again. Ryuuji wanted to marry you into your ideal wedding, thus, taking care of that ring. At his last moments, he protected that thing with all his might and you never did once left his mind." He paused, then he pats Chiharu in her shoulders, "He loves the both of you so much."

"Taira, you still have your daughter. And surely, Ryuuji will always be guiding you. You can do it. After all, you're harbouring his last name and his daughter. Masaki Taira… No… Aragaki Taira, right?"

When the words would not come, the tears did. The mourning was supposed to be something dignified and stoic in her family, but she cried like a child, noisily, with running snot and choking sobs and she was not ashamed. All the emotions that bottled up inside her flowed down in one go. Staring upon the silver ring that she has on her hand, she carefully brought it into her chest and sobbed loudly to herself.

* * *

Chiharu stared onto her desk that is currently filled with scribbles that states—die, no one loves you, go to hell and many more. Then, her eyes travelled to the dishevelled notebook on the trash can and her indoor shoes. Usually, she'll shrug these useless things with a smile and continue her day with Katsuki and Izuku on her side. But today is different and today speaks out that she is undeniably alone—she lost her friends and she lost her dad. To top it all, bullies came emerging again after she went back to classes.

It's like she felt numb into everything. If she could describe her situation, maybe having ice within her heart is the correct description of her. Presently, she doesn't care at all—to everything. She couldn't smile, laugh, cry and be angry. All of it dissolves into the numbness of her heart.

 _Who cares anyway…?_

 _Everyone will leave…_

 _I… will be alone…_

After her dad died, everyone kept telling her that she sucks having no dad to rely on or some stuff like that. Either way, she won't fight at all because she's already tired of everything. Sighing to the current mess, she took out her handkerchief and immediately wiped the scribbles in the desk harshly. While she's rapidly wiping her desk in silence, earnestly focus onto it. Suddenly, on her line of vision someone's hands began to wipe her desk; seemingly helping her to get over it. She was taken aback from the sudden action and it turns out to be Izuku who is helping her out. Honestly, she's surprised that she jumped back to avoid more conversation with him.

As much as she would like to apologize to Izuku for lying to him, she can't because what she did is so unforgivable. Frowning from that memory, she quickly zips her bag close and quickly wears it to her back as she attempted to storm out of the room. Unexpectedly, he is fast enough to grab and hold onto her wrist; stopping her from running away.

"Chi-chan! Wait, I want to talk to you for a bit!" Izuku called, tightening his grip from her wrist to avoid escaping from his grasps. For a minute, she struggled for a while but finally gave up and let him talk. With all the silence that whispers all around the room, he exhaled deeply and began, "I don't want to see you like this. The Chi-chan that I know is the one smiling so bright like the rising sun! I—I know everything is tough right now but… I just want to tell you that I don't hate you for pretending to be quirkless."

Her eyes widened but still planted her gaze onto the floor. Chewing her lower lip, she continued to what Izuku has to say.

"I… don't hate you, Chi—"

"Get angry! Get angry! You can punch me, snap back at me, anything!" She grabbed her hand at once from his grasps and began to shout at him with all her might. Her eyes scoffed at him eerily. Guilt crippled to her nerves and then, for a minute, everything went blur. All screams of mocks, scrutinizing stares and all kinds of insults screeched to her minds.

"Sorry. I'll be going home, see you tomorrow." She's about to turn her heel and leave when Izuku called out again, "I meant it, Chi-chan! I'm not angry at all because I know that you just wanted to protect me, that's all! You're my hero, Chi-chan!"

After she heard his last statement, she froze for a while deepening the frown that is creasing her pink lips. So, he took this a chance to tell her what he really meant, "It's hard for you now, I know. But, I don't want to see you and Kacchan fight… You're my only friends… Plus, seeing you like this, makes me sad. Am I not that dependable? Chi-chan always helps me so it's my turn to help you. I'm always here with you! And I never did think that I'll hate you and won't be friends with you. I'm always here with you, Chi-chan!"

He never really expressed this feelings out loud. Usually, he'll stutter and fail to convey his words. But with all the adrenaline rushing to him, with all the rapid beating in his heart and with all the things happening to his circle of friends, of course, he need to knock out of his usual self.

Chiharu looked back; flashing out a dark, deep and painful eyes to him which made him gasped. For a bit, he can't recognize her friend at all. Then, she spoke those words that somehow she's willingly wanted to let out for the rest of her whole life, "Sorry… Thank you…" With those words she left, but Izuku isn't satisfied.

His words weren't enough to break down the walls she's been holding.

* * *

A while ago when Chiharu is walking from school to her home, someone _again_ dumped a bucket of water to her causing her to drip from head to toe again. She could hear the loud snickers and the mortifying sounds of the bullies behind her. Needlessly, she didn't care, more like, she didn't felt anything. So, she continued to walk on her own; not minding onto the bullies retorts on how she acts. But the bullies aren't satisfied with what she pulls out, so she pushed her onto the pile of trash and began to pounce and hit her with kicks and punches out of nowhere while laughing with their gut out as they continued to cuss at her.

It confuses her how people are twisted like this. What's so good about belittling people who only wants to live a good life? Questions after questions sprawled into her mind; with all the cuts and bruises she claimed. Pleading to god knows who will be rescuing her, she began to think about that certain someone—that certain someone who is there for her, who promised to be with her. And it twisted her gut, he is gone. He hates her. He hates her! There's no way he'll help her after all the things she has done. But, she can't help it. Because, whenever she calls for him, whenever she needs him, he'll be here!

"How about that poor little girl?!" One of the bullies stated, pulling her hair strongly. She yelps in fear, but she don't have the strength nor the courage to fight back against them.

 _Help me…_

 _Help me…_

 _Help me…_

 _Katsuki!_

Suddenly, a large amount of explosion occurred out of nowhere. The bullies couldn't help but drop her harshly to the ground and turned their attention to see a familiar ash-blonde with spiky hair and crimson eyes; glaring ominously to them.

"Kat…suki?" She called weakly, nearly fainting by the sudden appearance of her friend.

Meanwhile, Katsuki saw the horrendous scene right into his eyes. It's Chiharu being ganged up by some fourth graders. The worst is that she's covered with bruises and cuts that whenever he saw her in that state makes his blood boil. Instantly, his eyes turned dark, his fist curled into a ball angrily.

"What the hell…? What the hell are you doing?!" He asked, awfully such a calm tone.

"Huh? Obviously, bullying her! Who are you anyway?!"

Hearing that made him madder, "I'll give you three seconds to leave her or else…"

"Huh? We won't be afraid by a brat like you! You're only a second grader!"

"I'll never forgive that Aragaki kid!"

"Her very existence is a nuisance!"

"If she never existed, I would have the whole class in my palm of my hand! Go on, I dare you, 2nd grader! When you do, I'll crash that kid there! You're getting along swimmingly, right? There so many ways to destroy that! I won't stop until you and that kid is destroyed. Come on, beg me and say, 'I understand, so please stop!' "

"...you…" Katsuki's eyes glared, hiding it from his bangs; trying to be calm as possible.

"Huh? I can't hear you."

"kill…you…"

"HUH!?"

"I'll kill you!" He roared, then he take a step back and activated his quirk quickly reaching over the pile of trash and exploded; letting out an enormous amount of smoke. The next thing they saw is the smothered pieces of inaudible and unrecognizable things lying on the floor. The bullies yelped in fear, as they watched him glaring at them as if he'll kill them if they lay another finger to her.

He hurriedly clutched the collar of the bullies, as he activated his quirk onto his hands closely to his face, "Shall I do the same to your face next time? I bet you'll never look into the mirror again." He continued, scowling at them down to their cores, "I wouldn't mine becoming a murderer right now. I don't want to hear an apology right now. If you're afraid, then never appear before me again. You trash!"

"Y-Yes!" And with that statement, the bullies flee with all their might.

Meanwhile, Chiharu couldn't believe what she saw. Katsuki defended her right at the moment. Isn't he mad at her? For the umpteenth time she began to asks numerous of questions in her mind. As if he heard her questions, he glanced at her injured body and walked towards her. She could only follow him getting closer bit by bit.

But the raw emotions are there, she's again reminded of what she has done. Right now, she was given a chance to talk to him and she won't let that pass now. Reaching out to him, she tried to formulate some words into her mouth, "Katsuki… I—I!" But, she's interrupted with her explanation when Katsuki pulled her to his chest and hugged him tightly—caging her with his warm arms.

In this situation, she's surprised by the sudden act at the same time confused on how the current situation is unfolding right before her eyes. But then, she was more shocked by the words he uttered next.

"Sorry."

"I—I should be—"

"I'm lying."

"Huh? W-Wha..?" She struggled upon his embrace as she tried to look at his face, but failed when he tightened his arms more.

"I lied that I hate you. I lied that I didn't have fun when I'm with you. I lied when I said that I don't need you. I lied when I said that I don't consider you as a friend." He paused, pressing his forehead to her shoulders as he muttered softly to her, "I'm a freaking liar. I know it. But, I take back all what I said." Pulling out from the warm embrace, his cheeks are flustered in deep red as he continued to stare onto my purple orbs.

He exhaled then spoke out, "Do not look at me with that dull eyes. Do not frown like that irritates me. Cry if you need to cry don't pretend to be strong. Because that's not who Haru is, she's a damn sunshine that it irritates me. Don't lie already. I am here… because I'm your friend… I'm your ally, right?"

"Sorry… Katsuki… I—I… Dad… I—I.. don't want… this… Sorry… I lied…" Brick by brick, her walls came tumbling down. As much as she tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. She hit the wall and tried to scream, but her voice was melted by the sound of the place. The muffled sobs wracked against her chest. The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds. The taste. The smell. Everything was gone.

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, gently rubbing the back of her head. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his chest, appreciative of the simple gesture.

* * *

Right after the warm moment they shared, Katsuki decided to carry her on his back as they both go home in harmony. But, Chiharu noticed something onto his cheek, "Your right cheek is bleeding…" It must be from when he exploded the pile of trash that something grazes his cheek. So, she insisted to detour to the secret base; ignoring Katsuki's rambling. Of course, the one who needs some first aid is her not him but he can't argue with her since he could see the twinkle in her eyes as she began to search for the medical kit. After a few minutes, she presented the little kit that they prepared beforehand and began to apply disinfectant to his wound.

"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked, quickly trying to remember how to treat wounds like this.

"Tch, of course not," He lied. "Just a scratch."

"Stay still!" She demanded.

"Don't tell me what to do!" He snapped back, grumbling under his breath.

"I need to get bandages!" Chiharu panicked, thinking too much about what a wound like that could mean. Unexpectedly, she pressed a quick kiss to the cleanest spot she could above the wound. Eventually, his cheeks began to flush in embarrassment, "A-A-A-Ahhh!" He covered the cheek that was kissed on, as he tried to mentally process everything that she did, "W-What th-the hell are you doing?!"

She stuttered, trying to explain her side as her cheeks began to flush as well, "S-Sorry, it's just that i-it was something my parents always did whenever I-I had been hurt."

"Then you're a complete idiot, learning about that cheap trick!" He retorted back, trying brush off the blush.

She replied back, " I kno-know that there was no actual healing magic in the kiss, but it was always nice to know that someone loved you would help y-you!"

The word "love" echoed throughout his ears. And he could feel himself heating up further, his heartstrings continued to tug its own way. Plus, he could hear the thumping of his heart aggressively.

 _Shut the hell up heart! I'll kill you! I'll freaking kill you!_

After a few moments of debating, Chiharu finally applied the right treatment onto his wound. For a while, it's utterly awkward for the both of them but it quickly eases out when she spoke up to break the ice.

"I'm really sorry that I lied; that I kept everything from you. Honestly, I don't really deserve the friendship that you're off—"

"If you ever say that, I'll be blasting you off to the roof!" He warned, glaring at her, "Don't tell me that my decisions are wrong! Listen, I will only tell it to you once!" He coughed for a bit. His cheeks began to redden, and added, "Y-You're my only friend, Haru. So don't go wander off away from me… I'm going to protect you, that's why."

A smile curled up to her lips. Oh how he misses that smile. Then, she replied, "But, I don't have anything to offer you, Kacchan. I'm just your average girl…"

He could hear her sigh in anxiousness. Now, he knows that she is striving hard to keep up that façade and that really hits him hard. Curling his fist onto a ball, he wanted to cheer her up. He really wants to. He just wanted to see her smile again.

He arched up his body as he closes the distance between them, then his mouth moves at its own, "Then be my queen."

"Huh?"

Instantly, he wanted to dig a hole right now. RIGHT. NOW.

 _W-Wh-What the hell did I just say?!_

Realizing what he just stated, he attempted to hide his face behind my chalky-white fingers, my cheeks became a color to rival the rose-pink hue of her fluffy cheeks, and shone through the gaps.

"Y-You know. Uhh.. err. Damn! Damn!" He tried to think of something to counterattack his embarrassing declaration but stopped when he received her reply, "Sure. I will be the queen then you will be my king."

 _Is she not embarrassment with what she is saying?!_

 _SHIT STOP MY HEART! STOP TELLING ME THAT! MY HEART IS ABOUT TO BURST OPEN! STOP_!

He couldn't control the aggressiveness that she's been giving to my heart. Noticing how her friend is acting, she giggled upon the sight of the shy Katsuki within her. Cuffing his wrist, she slid it sideward to see the 'flustered' Katsuki in a very raw image. Her mouth dropped for a bit then chuckled, "Oh my, Katsuki is like a tomato right now."

He shoved her hands away from him then rattled back, "Huh!? Shut your mouth or I'll blow you up with my quirk!"

She laughed on his remark. Well, he's glad that he somehow, brought back the original Chiharu for now. Peeking through his bangs, he saw her still laughing to her retorts. And needlessly, he couldn't explain the feeling he's currently experiencing. He really did want her to be his queen. He wanted her by his side and he won't let anyone snatch her out of his hands.

Suddenly, he didn't noticed but Chiharu began to sob onto herself again. For a while, he panicked on what he'll do and decided to be so straightforward, be himself and try to ooze her out with his own character, "W-Why the hell are you crying again?!"

"B-Because… I-I… I am glad that you didn't hate me at all. I thought that we will never be talking like this again…" She hitched her breath, trying to fight back the tears that is obviously cannot be fight back. Katsuki is surprised by this and damn, he is goddamn blushing again. What's wrong with his blood rushing to his cheeks anyway?

Then, in a split second, she decided something, "I—It's my fault that I don't talk to you about what you're feeling. T-That's why, don't ever lie to me ever again. Promise me, we'll tell each other what's on our minds and be honest about it! If y-you n-need my help, I'll—"

"I got it already so stop fucking crying already damn it!" He roared, pinching both of her cheeks in annoyance. Then he continued, staring at her seriously, "You're fucking ugly when you cry, stupid."

He gazes upon her sparkling purple orbs, and added, "When we grow up, I'll build you a castle. Then we will dominate all over the world as a king and queen. So, never leave my side and be with me forever! We will be heroes! We will be no.1!"

"Y-Yeah!" She holds and squeezed his hands as she giggled to him with tears grazing her cheeks.

 ** _You were the queen and I was your king._**

* * *

Author's Note:

Ooooops, the fluff is late! Here's the real fluff! Anyway, many of you are enraged by the fact Ryuuji died an awful death. Honestly, I thought that well, he rarely appear in the chapter so obviously people won't really like him that much but then I was flooded by your comments on how much you love this pure cinnamon roll! I am so glad you did even though he rarely appears.

There are some people who got pissed in a jokingly way on how I killed him so early. Of course, guys, this isn't an ordinary fanfiction and there will be more to come! This is just a start, my dear readers.

Anyway, thank you so much for the comments I am so happy that I did a great job making you all emotional. Please drop more comments and let me see your thoughts! Thank you so much for the overwhelming support. In the next chapter, we will have the Middle School lives of our characters! Stay tune~


	10. Chapter 10: I'm All Yours

Chapter 10: I'm All Yours

* * *

If Izuku has the power to control his fate, he will. In their eighth grade, specifically in middle school, Izuku and Chiharu is placed in different classes. While she has a whole new world in her hands, he was stuck with Katsuki and his minions. As much as he wanted to be together with Chiharu, fate is currently not in his side. Ever since that incident during second grade where he confronted her about her situation, when he couldn't even break any single brick on her wall and the next day everything went back to normal, he felt like he wasn't needed.

He assumed that she has her talk with Katsuki, making things work together for good. Somehow, thinking about that sends a solid hit onto his heart that he wasn't the one who reached out for her. Until the end it was Katsuki, it was always him and it will never be Midoriya Izuku.

He felt like he wasn't needed anymore. He felt like he wasn't included in their trio. After all, he's the only lame guy who is a quirkless and good-for-nothing one. He doesn't have any special qualities either.

 _As long as Chi-chan has Kacchan…_

 _They can manage…_

 _Without me…_

"Izu-chan! There you are!" Chiharu called out, carrying some art materials on her grasps as she strolled towards him with a large smile on her lips, "I'm looking for you! Let's go home together today!"

Chiharu and Katsuki had matured far more than he expected except that Katsuki is grumpier than usual. As for Chiharu, she grew up in a way that boys started to flock upon her beauty except that they'll soon regret what they've done due to Katsuki rampaging that no one is allowed to go near her except him which she declined blatantly. In that instant, Izuku knew that his puny world with his friends began to expand and expand as the time goes by with that there will be lots of people barging onto their lives. Because of that the time that usually spent on hanging out together continued to decrease and soon enough there will be lots of things happening to them as they approach their way towards their dream schools.

Chiharu has grown her hair up onto her chest; with her long curly petrol-blue tied with two pony-tails, kept together with white bands at the height of her ears. The ponytails fall over her shoulders plus wearing their black sailor uniform that matches her petite body. He could say that Chiharu has given a vibe of a quite innocent young girl.

"U-Umm. S-Sorry… I have plans… after school… so…" He deliberately lied to her, lips quivering and eyes rolling all over the hallway; trying to avoid her contact as much as possible. He added, "You don't have to worry about me. Kacchan is with you anyway."

 _She has Kacchan so… she's probably alright._

 _Kacchan is there._

 _There's no need for me to interfere…_

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand landed at the top of his head making him squeak a bit. His eyes eventually landed to the girl in front of him who landed a karate chop on his head. With a light hum onto her, she began to look all over her place; noticing the people preparing for the upcoming Cultural Festival. Then, she took another turn to peek outside the window to see her class painting on the banner that they'll use. Apparently, her class is going to do a maid café which the girls on her class got excited on.

A smile crept onto her lips, as she placed the box filled with art materials onto the floor and grabbed his wrist; pointing her thumb behind her, "Then, let's skip, Izu-chan!" And without letting him say another word, he dragged him to the hallway.

"E-Eh? Ehhh!? Ch-Ch—Chi-chan are you out of your mind now!?"

But Chiharu refused to talk, and lead him to the roof top wherein it is prohibited for anyone to go. Except that she is really a rule breaker and badass so school rules don't matter at her at all, but Izuku frets that this is her first time breaking rules.

She's not some sort of role model to the school but, Chiharu is surely not a type of person twisting rules on the palm of her hands. Finally, when they reach the rooftop, she turned herself to him and clasped her hands towards his cheeks.

"You're lying, Izu-chan." She stated in a monotonous matter, while her purple orbs continued to gaze directly to his very own core. The curly green-haired boy was taken aback; his eyes fleeting all around the place, "E-Eh? I-I… So—Sorry… I—"

"I'm your friend, Izu-chan. I can tell whenever you're lying, happy or your mannerisms when hiding something, all of it because we've been through everything." She paused, exhaling deeply, "I'm not dumb. I know. I know that you're trying to distance yourself from us because you're thinking that you're not worthy to call our friend…"

"Sorry…" He apologizes, wrinkling his brows in frustration, "Because… I think that Chi-chan is good without me. You protect me at all cost. You are always here with me and yet I….. can't do anything." He releases all of his insecurities, all the mind boggling thoughts in his mind, "I can't do anything to cheer up my friend. And, it pains me that K-Kacchan is the one who… so I thought that may be, you are good with him…

A hand suddenly lands at the top of his head; receiving a soft karate chop from her, "I'm not good without you." She continued, "Sorry for not being so honest with all of my feelings but I am thankful of your presence. Truly. I am so lucky to have you."

"C-Chi-chan?"

"You broke my walls already before you confronted me way back in our 2nd grade. " She flashed as a smile, as her karate chop turned to ruffle his hair roughly, "It was when I met you in your father's room. The way you flash the smile that I yearned for. So I am sorry if you ever felt that way. You don't have to do anything to prove yourself."

Hearing her words reassures him so much that tears began to ooze out his eyes, it's not sadness but it is relief that he still has his friend—he still has the Chi-chan that he really loves the most. Wiping it aggressively to stop his emotional heart to produce much more tears, but failed eventually. He couldn't stop at all.

With the warm atmosphere embracing them, Chiharu couldn't help but wrap her arms around him which makes him flinched for a bit; blush crippling to his features but soon enough gave in to her embrace. She slowly caresses his back as her other hand ruffles the back of his hair, whispering to his ear, "I am glad that you reached out for me that time. Without you, I won't be the same after are your own version. You don't have to do anything to stay as the Izuku that I know…." She trailed off, releasing from the tight embrace. Pulling her two index fingers to motion an invisible smile in front of him, " _Smile… Izuku."_

* * *

"Where did you go, Aragaki-san?!" Her Class Representative asked with raging aura covering her whole body. Apparently, due to skipping her chores in the Cultural Festival made some sort of imbalance in their accound. And oh boy, Chiharu knew she's dead meat.

"Errr… I…" She stuttered, her eyes trying to avoid the death glare of her classmate that will kill her right on the spot if she's not careful not to say. Sweat dropping from the menacing glare, she gulped hardly, trying to find some fine excuses like: studying in the library in an hour without realizing the time, showing how a good of a student she is or got caught with Katsuki's farce and tried to stop the fight, since it's like everyday Katsuki got into fights because of his aggressive nature. Oh gods, forgive her for thinking like this. She doesn't want to die yet!

"Answer me, Aragaki-san. Where. Did. You. Go?"

She screeched in fear, realizing that she's bad at hiding and lying as well. That's it, she won't lie! She didn't remember her parents teaching her to lie or drag someone into her huge mess! So, without any hesitations, she clasped her hands together and bow to the class representative, "I'm sorry! I skipped because Midoriya Izuku from Class C is somehow recently sad about the things going around him and I decided to comfort him! I'm so sorry!"

"You know, I won't be angry if you pass it on to others instead of going out of your own? You're my responsibility, Aragaki-san."

She pleaded, still bowing and clasping her hands together, "I'm sorry for ditching my chores! I'll do anything to get back!"

The Class Representative asked her to stand straight and Chiharu did what she told her to do. Then, the girl tapped her foot for a while, her fingers under her chin as she stared onto the petrol-blue haired girl intimately from head to toe which she found confusing; as if she's going to recruit some idol for a popular Japanese band.

"Okay, I've decided."

"I'll do anything to help!" She declared, her eyes gleaming in pure determination.

"You'll be our representative in our Charity Auction."

 _"What?!"_

* * *

"So, that's the end of the story…" She deadpanned, sipping from her drink with her all greatest pleasure. Beside her is Izuku, his sweat rolling down to his cheeks as he gulped hardly upon seeing the raging ash-blonde in front of them.

"Don't... 'So, that's the end of the story…' me! What the fucking hell is that crap!?" He mimicked her tone for a while and completely screeched in anger. Slamming his hands on the table, he furiously glared upon Chiharu, which the petite young lady just laughed off; clearly used by the fact on how explosive his personality is. Currently, Chiharu dragged Izuku and Katsuki in a Fast Food Restaurant because she wanted the three of them together once in a while. In the eyes of their schoolmates, it's a miracle to bring Izuku and Katsuki together because imagining that makes them really pained for what will happen with the goofy-green haired guy. Indeed, Aragaki Chiharu is simply amazing for taming a wild animal like Katsuki.

"Plus, why is this damn Deku here also, Haru?!"

"I told you this isn't a good idea, Ch-Chi-chan!"

She chuckled, bringing her hands on Katsuki's shoulder and forcibly letting himself sit down, "You got to chill, Kacchan!" Though, the explosive teen could only glare back to her which she fought back with a glare as well.

"S-Sorry, Chi-chan!" Izuku apologized with his eyes closed tightly and his lips pursued, "It's my fault that you became a representative of that auction…"

"Yeah, damn Deku! It's all your fucking fault!"

"Katsuki, shut up." She shot him down with a cold and expressionless look which unbelievably made the blonde zip his raging mouth for a while. Her eyes turned to meet the green calming orbs of her friend, smiling to him, "It's alright! That's what friends for, right? Plus, it's always fun when the three of us are together."

"Okay, stop flirting right in front of my goddamn eyes and get to the point already! What's with this stupid event anyway?!" Pinching the bridge of his nose, as he scoffed at Izuku for the last time which Izuku flinched in response, then turning to her for some other details. Somehow, imagining his 'own' best friend getting bid by a stupid charity auction. Also, he haven't heard of this stupid event, it's either he doesn't give a fuck or he really doesn't give a flying fuck about the school.

"To make the story short, the school is hosting a charity event in the Cultural Festival. And it's the Student Council's idea to make the event a bit enjoyable for the people so they decided onto the auction; auctioning some people unlucky enough to be single." She paused, chomping on her cheese burger with delight then continued, "Well, you don't have to worry about it. The Class Rep stated that I just have to dance with the person who bid me in the annual bonfire dance and that's it—end of the story! Tada!"

If there's one thing that the ash-blonde really hate onto Chiharu; it's for getting the DNA of the stupid carefree Aragaki Ryuuji flowing to the every single tad bit of her freaking body. Just imagining his best friend having a good time with who knows, dancing and stuff, makes his blood boil in anger. First of all, no one is allowed to be so chummy with her without his permission—and he won't ever let that happen. Second, it's been always him, Chiharu and goddamn he hates Izuku but they're dancing together as a trio because of her insistence—and absolutely he won't ever allow that.

"Huh? What the fuck are you talking about? You already have me, stupid!" He declared proudly but at the same time, keeping his cool not to blast the down the table containing their food. But the thing is, he didn't really expect her to say those words that he quite not think of base on their current status.

"Huh? We're not dating, Katsuki." Chiharu bluntly stated which made Katsuki paled under her curious stares. Immediately, the room darkened, emitting cold and freezing atmosphere all around them.

"Ch—Chi—Chi-chan, d-don't say that! You'll be killed!"

"Huh? Oh, Katsuki is joking? Well, I don't really get that, sorry!" Of course, she didn't meant that. Izuku knew that. But, the more she deny it, the more Katsuki is being driven to the corner by her confused stares. There's even a rumour that they're dating but unexpectedly, she brushed it off like it's kind of dirt or something.

"C-Chi-chan! Stop, stop, stop!"

"But, Katsuki is not my boyfriend! I don't like him that much." She turned her attention to him, not even intending to hurt his feelings in slightest, "Let's remain friends."

Even though there's no label in their relationship, even though it's just her stupid shenanigans being an airhead, Katsuki couldn't help but feel a bit… disappointed and much more—sad? Well, he can't tell the reason behind this gruesome feeling onto his chest.

Chiharu exclaimed more, making Izuku grunt and Katsuki turned stiffer, "I don't want to kiss Katsuki like in the movies or something. I don't want to marry him or have babies with him, like that?" If it was possible, the ash-blonde turned even whiter in the process of being rigid as a statue. A heartbroken expression on his face, but then, it only lasts for a few seconds as he was replaced with fury and anger all over the places. A nerve-cracked onto him as he threatened them, "Shall I burn that school into fucking pieces?!"

"Kacchan, calm down!"

"Shut the fuck up, piece of shit!"

"Katsuki, you should calm down. It's just a dance, I won't get harm or anything…" She sighed, pressing her tender hands on his shoulder, continuing, "Because you'll protect me, right, Hero-san?" Instantly, all the fury and anger depleted in a matter of millisecond. Her purple orbs flicked attentively to him, matching his crimson ones. If this is a Shoujo manga, everything will be replaced by sparkles and flowers all around the places as he has imagined. Bit by bit, his cheeks reddened like a ballistic tomato, greeting to fight back the raging heart within his chest.

But, also, Chiharu knew how to kill the atmosphere as well.

"Plus, maybe, I'll meet the love of my life, or something like that? Like some kind of handsome guy, prince-type or something? Just kidding!"

"C-Chi-chan!"

Okay, that's it, Katsuki had enough with her useless rumbling and spew the words that he haven't even thought about at all, "Not happening, because I'm going to be the one buying you!"

His abrupt assertion made her quiet in an instant, annihilating the lively aura that swirled around her usually perky demeanour. If this was all it took to get her to stop talking, he figured he ought to implement such a brash tactic more often.

* * *

And that's what he said but…

HE IS FUCKING BROKE AS HELL!

But, there's no way he'll give her to some wholesome brats who doesn't know her value. He won't give up her just like that over his goddamn dead body. Plus he telling her that he'll buy her is ridiculous at this point. He is a freaking minor, with no one to work on and only relies to the money of his parents.

Ruffling his spikey ash-blonde, he tried to think off some possible ways to earn money to buy her off from that stupid auction. First of all, why does the school decided to do something like that? They're clearly selling them off, more like a blind date. The absurdity of the school makes him more agitated than what he used to be.

He has two plans: it's either to earn money in a good and rightful heroic way or sabotage the charity auction and steal Chiharu away from those creepy bastards.

"Ah, fuck. Why the fuck is Haru joining that event anyway?!" He shouted, almost activating his quirk in the coffee table in their living room. And of course, his mom noticed his useless ramblings again and shouted back, "Would you shut the fuck up!?"

"Shut up, Old hag!"

"Why don't you shut up shitty son?"

Their nonsense conversation ended abruptly when Masaru tried to intervene with a question that even the two monsters tried to listen, "Oh, what did Chiharu-chan join anyway?"

"A fucking charity auction! That's completely absurd! They can pick all those bitches; Haru is not that type of person!"

"Oh, that's good. At least Chiharu-chan will find a boyfriend and she won't spend her whole time taking care of this stupid ass." Mitsuki snorted, hitting Katsuki right onto the nail. Upon hearing her mother's words, he didn't hesitate to explode out his all thoughts, "What's the good thing about it, hag? Useless guys will swarm around her! There are not good with her!"

"So, the one who looks good with her is you?" Mitsuki teased, smiling ecstatically to her son who is now blushing deeply because of her response.

"I—I fucking… I did not… Ah!"

"Someone has a little crush on someone!" A haughty grin crept to her lips as she began to shout for someone she knew, "Taira, someone got a crush on your daughter!"

"Fuck off! I don't have a crush on her!"

"Anyway, Katsuki don't blow up the school because of someone stealing her away from you." Masaru chuckled, his eyes returned onto the newspaper he's holding. But his response got Katsuki even madder, "I'm not a fucking kid! I know it, damn it! That's why, I fucking need cash to buy her!" And with that statement, his parents knew that they need to spew out money just to take his precious crush away from these people who adore her

"Don't look at us like that as if we're like some freaking ATM; spewing mountains of money." Mitsuki responded, rolling her eyes in frustration which makes the explosive teen angrier.

"Sorry, Katsuki but I think we won't give what you want but in exchange I know someone who can provide what you need."

The idea where his father stated hooked him up for the first time, makes him all powered up. It's rare for him to ask help over his goddamn money but the thought of his precious best friend dancing with some unknown guy is a big no. Even if Izuku is there while Chiharu and him dance is okay, as long as it is with him—he'll very much accept the challenge.

* * *

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, the sound of the droplets falling from the sky echoed all throughout the whole surroundings. Darkened gray smudges of wool threateningly surrounded the sky; like a predator would encircle its prey. A startling low rumble rang loud in the cool fall air, the sky roaring with satisfaction. Trickles of liquid hit the ground with as much force as a small child. Hungrily, drizzles turn into canon fires, barricading everything in its way.

These past few days, she hasn't gone home with Izuku and Katsuki. Well, Izuku is fine since he is busy with what his class is doing but apparently, she can't seem get a hold of Katsuki; making her worried about him. According to his minions as well as Izuku, after the chime hits, the ash-blonde doesn't care whether his chores aren't finish, he doesn't care if the class representative yells at him for not cooperating, and instead when he hears the signal that it's time to go home; he will dash away from the premises with no reasons.

It really bothers her that he isn't really going straight to home; she's been trying to monitor him these days. But instead, the explosive teen is always seen walking towards his home at exactly 10:00 alone. She's his friend, her neighbour and such but he never tells to anyone even her. It's seems suspicious to her.

So, with an umbrella on her grasps, she strolled down the road with his feet splashing onto road. She decided to take a detour onto a certain cake shop to purchase a cake for her mother. Arriving onto a certain cake shop near her house, she is greeted by a delicious cake over the counter and was enticed to see the cakes. Peeking onto the cake displays, she began to choose over a strawberry cake, chocolate cake or a mocha cake. Any of these three will be delicious, so she chose a strawberry cake for her mother.

"Excuse me, strawberry cake please!" She ordered with an outstretched smile to the cashier.

"Certainly." The cashier returned the smile and called out, "Hey, bring a strawberry cake here!"

While she pays for the cake and is waiting in line, she began to observe the way things are placed neatly. Humming some few songs to herself, she thought that she may bring her newly set of friends here after the Cultural Festival.

Speaking of the charity auction, if anyone would ask her, she wanted to ditch it—seriously. If it wasn't to pay the favour, she would have say that she has a boyfriend and that she doesn't want to meet a random stranger to go and dance in the night. No. The answer is no. That will break her tradition with Katsuki and Izuku and that sucks.

Finally, the cake arrived but then she's surprised with the one who brought her desired food. It's the guy she's been spying on—Katsuki. Except that he is wearing a white long sleeves, black apron and a nameplate which tells his name. It was utter shock for her as well to see him working in this place which she doesn't imagine him stepping a foot here—ever.

"Oh my gosh, Katsuki what are—"

"What the fuck are you doing here!?"

"Bakugou, language! She's a customer even if you clearly know her!"

Obviously, Katsuki tried to tame his tongue as he gnashed his teeth together and scoffed upon her petite frame. Clearly, he is upset to see her in this kind of state but then she couldn't help but laugh her ass of upon seeing him wrapping the cake in a box.

"I can't believe you're working here. Why all of a sudden?"

"Shut your shitty mouth. I'll kill you."

"Yes. Yes. I see, that's why you're disappearing all of a sudden." She hummed, as she watches him tying a ribbon on the box at the same time glaring at her with all his might.

"If you ever tell anyone, I'll kill you."

"Yes. Yes. I'll be waiting for you."

"Go home. My shift ends in a few hours."

"Then, I'll wait." She shot back, making him taken back with her response, "Plus, you don't have an umbrella, right? I'll wait."

"Suit yourself. I don't need your help."

"Yes. Yes."

* * *

The rain didn't stop, instead, it grumbled and puffed more harsh droplets; making it more difficult to go home. By the time, Katsuki's shift ended, Chiharu already fell fast asleep on one of the couches in the shop. It was dreading for him since the cats out of the bag, and he'll bother to explain everything to the sole reason he is working for.

He observed her round features and long eyelashes, upon looking at her face it's clear as day that she's completely innocent while sleeping. Without realizing, he found his fingers dancing through her petrol-blue lock as he was drawn to her even more. It felt like his pair of crimson eyes were utterly glued to her very own existence and he couldn't help it at all—her laughs, her smiles, clumsiness, everything about her screams perfect.

For a split second, he realizes what he has done, thus retreating his fingers from her hair; slamming his hand across to his face to make himself aware of what he was doing. In that time he is utterly making himself out of character.

Suddenly, the sleepy girl flutter her eyes groggily, looking around the shop with pure haziness then stopped when she recognized Katsuki. So, she sat straight, combing her dishevelled curly locks; blushing furiously, "Did you snap a picture of me while I was sleeping?!"

"Hell no. I don't care about how you drool yourself to sleep." He scoffed as he takes the cake and her bag beside her and marched outside the shop leaving her alone with utterly embarrassed self. Grabbing the umbrella, she jog outside the place and realizes that Katsuki is making her question if he is totally real. Because he haven't been a gentleman to his whole life that makes her feel puzzled and laughing.

"You're acting like you're on drugs or something."

"What the hell did you just say!? I'll kill you!" Snatching the umbrella to her grasps, he opened it and led her underneath with a cold stare to her. Apparently, she brush her retorts and walked in silence for a while. In this case, they could only hear the sounds of heavy droplets falling from above, as well as their feet splashing in the sidewalks. From afar, Katsuki could see a car in the road driving furiously, then he looked over to see her frame facing in the road, with the cars speeding back and forth. Somehow, this doesn't look good to him.

So he stopped, making her confused and suddenly he demanded her to switch places. She agreed on that thought and switched with him. Now, she is on the safe road while he is facing the road. In case some dumb drivers will splash water to them or they'll get hit, he'll be the one taking the damage. From the corner of his eye, he saw her sleeves getting wet and oh gods, the umbrella is too small for them.

As much as he hated to get wet, he doesn't want to see her in that way as well.

"Come closer."

"Huh?"

"Are you deaf or dumb?! Come closer to me, damn it!" Blushing furiously to the thought that he is being too nice, Chiharu still couldn't get the fact that he only wants her to stay dry. Snaking up an arm to her shoulders, he draws her closer to him and they began walking.

"Oh my gosh, you're not the real Bakugou. Who are you!?"

"Shut up! I'm being nice here, so stay put!"

She chuckled feeling the threatening aura embracing his body. She couldn't shake the thought that Katsuki is especially kind to her, going all through this even though it's making him out of character. With all the gentleman thing around him, she surely loves the way he threats her. Although, she just thought of this for a while but maybe, she already knew the answer to why he is working his butt off.

 ** _"Not happening, because I'm going to be the one buying you!"_**

"Katsuki."

"What?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Thank you for being my friend."

"Getting emotional you lil' shit." Suddenly, Katsuki reaches up to his pocket and handed her a japanese amulet, "You better treasure this or else I'm going to kill you! It will keep you away from those bastards."

"Yes, yes! I am going to treasure this. Thank you OOC Katsuki!"

"Shut up! I will skin you to death, Haru!"

She laughed, her anxiety washing away from him.

People around her can see Bakugou Katsuki as something brash, villainous and filled with anger. But for her, she could see him as something soft, gentle and… her very own hero.

"Buy me, kay? I'm reserved to you, you know. After all, I'm all yours."

"Fuck off. It's been decided from the very start."

Chiharu is something he will protect; he doesn't want to see her frowning again. Because for him, she is the only one who acknowledges his own being—a great pesky sunshine and that will never change.

* * *

"Mom, I got you a cake!" Chiharu sets the cake on the table while her mother shuffles from her desk with piles of paper works tumbling with one another. Dark circles appeared bagging under her eyes, her hair mess up. If there's one thing she could describe her mother's state it's "stressed".

A slight smile painted Taira's lips as she began to look at her daughter with tired eyes, "I see. Let's go get your father."

Chiharu's eyes dimmed in sadness.

"Ryuuji, where are you? Gosh, he wandered somewhere again." Taira puffed, her eyes scanning all over the room.

"Mom…"

"Ryuuji, we're going to eat the cake! Come out now!"

"Mom!"

Taira snapped back, turning her full attention to her daughter. With a frown escaping her lips, she stared at her mother in sadness.

"Dad is not here…" She paused, sighing deeply, "Dad is already gone."

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry for the delay! I thought that this chapter will be too short but holy crap, I made it long again. Yeah, I know Katsuki is a bit OOC here, gosh I hate myself. Forgive me! But then, I'll try to make him in character, I will surely do my best! Can you guess what happened to Taira? Anyway, thank you guys for the support and comments. Truly it touches my heart, seeing you liking my story.

Comment down your thoughts! Thank you so much!


	11. Chapter 11: Cultural Festival (Pt1)

Chapter 11: Cultural Festival Shenanigans (Pt.1)

This is the day where the students of Aldera Junior High has been waiting for—the Cultural Festival. The school premises is filled with extraordinary bright colors, giving out a festive theme all throughout the whole place. The event is opened to all people, even the students from other schools are well-appreciated. With all the vibrant atmosphere going on, it will surely make the people forget about their respective worries and enjoy the event.

Apparently, Chiharu's class is doing a maid and butler café which excites the people attending. With all the cute girls hovering and serving them, they'll surely won't miss this chance to capture their pretty faces. The whole class gathered early for the preparation. The food is arranged on display, the drinks decorate the counter with all colors. Every table is covered by a perfectly ironed tablecloth, with the menus and a small pot of flowers on top. They really worked hard, and now the classroom doesn't look like one anymore. Their design for the uniforms are a complete hit, except the skirts are a little bit short.

The girls are wearing a black with white trim one-piece dress above knee length, white half-apron and ruffles. But with this type of uniform, it helped boost the popularity of the display, and soon customers are taking picture with them. This kind of marketing made them popular.

As for Katsuki, hell he didn't care about their class so he decided to go to the infamous café and see what Chiharu is up to. While on his way, Izuku manages to tag along and somehow it infuriated him that he'll be dealing him right now. When the two guys arrived all the thought that's encircling their mind completely washed out of their minds. With Izuku, he completely lost the pile of anxiety within his mind and as for Katsuki, he didn't even recall that the guy he hates is beside him upon seeing Chiharu—as if they're looking a goddess right in front of them.

Her skirt wave freely and her hair tied in a twin tail blended onto the scenery. Greeting them with that same smile they adored, they knew that they fuck up.

 _Fuck it, she's so damn cute._

"I'm glad you drop by!" She grinned, making the both of them exhilarate further.

 _Damn, she's in character._

But then, Katsuki noticed the customers inside; making those perverted looks and taking pictures of his dear best friend. Then, he scanned through her outfit from head to toe and eventually knew why these guys are ogling their eyes onto her. Somehow, it made him angry. He doesn't give any permission to stare at her like that. As much as he wanted to see her in this cute outfit, he doesn't want to give an access to abuse her innocence. Because he wanted her, he wants Chiharu to be like that when they're alone.

"No. You won't wear this thing. You're going to change and you won't be in charge in dealing those shitty bastards." He stated seriously, but he can't hide the slight tint of blush within his cheeks.

 _Damn, she looks cute._

"Katsuki, I don't remember you being my boyfriend nor my father." She puffed, scrutinizing his features.

Izuku stammered. His eyes completely swirling and avoiding Chiharu's whole figure as his blush continued to deepen, "A-Ahh, K-Kacchan, w-what's wrong with her outfit? S-She… err… looks… cute…"

"Thank you, Izu-chan unlike this arrogant guy over here."

"You shut the fuck up, scum! Open your goddamn eyes and see for yourself!"

"H-Huh?"

"I-It's the-!" He can't point it out in some reasons. The short skirt above her knees makes him feel unsecured for her. It's obviously too short for her, if she has to wear a skirt it should only two-three inches above the knee and that's final. If there's something that passes that set inches, he won't let it pass. He can't blame himself. There will be some perverted guy who will disrespect her in all kinds of way and he won't even forgive those people.

"The what!?"

"Listen dumbass…" He puts his hands on her shoulders, staring at her with his crimson eyes intimately; murmuring to her with his soft husky voice, "You're not going to wear this kind of outfit. You're going to work at the counter right now."

"No way. They say that if I became a maid then our class will earn the best—"

 _Fuck. She's dense!_

"I don't fucking care! You're not going to wear that and that's final!"

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

Suddenly…

 _"That blue-haired girl is cute in her maid outfit."_

 _"I like her!"_

 _"Aim under her skirt!"_

His ears are quite sharp when it involves his precious best friend. Like an alarm getting triggered, Katsuki with his full-bloom scowl etch on his face, he began to look over from her shoulder and saw some middle-age otaku-like guys, wearing headbands and stuff; maliciously trying to take indecent pictures of her.

Oh, how he looks so frustrated by these guys.

Upon hearing their perverted discussion, eventually, Katsuki didn't waste any time and headed to the table of the men. At first, everyone was confused with the way he approached them. But seeing his bloody cold stare, they knew that they messed up. Unexpectedly, he grabbed the collar of one of the malicious guys harshly, making people gasp in surprise.

"Katsuki, what are you doing?! He's a customer!" She struggled to lock her arms around him with the help of Izuku as he continues to rampage all around the room.

The customers flinched in nervousness. Seeing the agitated explosive teen made them scared for their lives. There's no way they'll escape Katsuki's radar when it comes to Chiharu. They can mess all things up but not with his best friend.

Glaring at them with intention of killing them, he threatened them, "Don't ever poke your eyes to that bitch there or I'll fucking pull out those eyes and burn them in ashes! Understand fuckers?!"

"Y-Yes!" They assured in feared and immediately fled the room.

"Wait, K-Katsuki! Stop this already!" She interfered the scene for him not to further scare the other customers with his threatening spirit. Then she glanced over the terrified customers and apologized, "We apologize for his rude behavior." Trying to lock his grip towards the agitated explosive teen, but he is strong enough to escape from her arms and scold at her, "Did you even know what these fuckers do to you?! They are looking at you with what a bastard looks like! Goodness, Haru! I am pointing it out already, you're a fucking girl! For once, listen to me, damn it!"

As his loud outburst, he shrugged Izuku's grip to him and storm out of the room, leaving them in quite shock. Several gossips spread over the whole compound, making them really worried of their reputation. The class representative apologized with the sudden ruckus, promising that it won't happen again. For a while, the café went silent for a while but then proceed to the business.

"Chi-chan, I think Kacchan is just showing how much he cares about your—err outfit? I admit that it's kind of short and uh… he just wants you to be safe though his ways are a bit wrong?" Izuku tried to reassure his friend, knowing that she's feeling a bit guilty for her stubbornness.

She bits her lip in realization, frowning upon the whole scenario, "Class rep, can I be in charge of the counter? B-But before that can I talk to him for a while?"

"Uhh. Sure, just come quickly."

She nods, then glance to Izuku, "Thank you, Izu-chan. I'll be back quickly." With that she sprinted out of the room, not even minding the people around her or what she's even 'carrying' in that moment. While running as fast as she could, she coincidentally bumped into an unknown guy who is most likely a student with red and white hair. Because of adrenaline rushing to her, she didn't noticed the Japanese amulet that the explosive teen gave, fell out of her pocket.

"Sorry!" She emitted those kind words, and continued to storm out the hallway.

The guy could only glance onto the air-depleting girl rushing out him, whilst can't even utter a single response. Instead, he found the Japanese amulet in the ground lying in the floor, but before he could look for her, she's out of sight. Picking up the amulet from the ground, he began to inspect what inside and saw two pictures which makes him a bit surprise.

"Todoroki, what are you looking at?"

"Let's go in the horror house!"

"Sorry." He uttered, continuing, "Do you know a maid café in this floor?"

"Wow, don't tell me that your taste runs in that way!?"

"I think you're talking about 2-B's maid café?"

"Thank you." He thanked them, before he walks towards the café.

* * *

"There you are!" She wheezes, trying to catch up with her breath. Apparently, she founds him at the back of the gym, taking out his anger in some innocent stones. Hearing her voice made him flinch and scowl at her direction, scanning from head to toe; he rolled his eyes in complete distress upon noticing that she's still wearing the maid outfit.

"Sorry for being too oblivious of what you are pointing."

"…"

"Well, you're right, the skirt is so short."

"…"

"Well, I didn't think that you have this soft si—"

"I'm not soft, stupid!"

She chuckled, moving towards him and pinches his cheeks, "You finally look at me. Katsuki is so cute!"

"F-F-F-Fuck! Get the fuck out of me! I'm not cute!" He pushes her away, cheeks burning into deep red.

"But, there will be no difference if I work in the counter. I still have to wear this."

Katsuki takes off his black top, leaving him only in his white long sleeves and extended to her, while averting his gaze from her, "Take this."

She smiled, taking it from his grasps, "Thank you! Looking forward to you later."

* * *

After her confrontation with Katsuki, she hurriedly fled to the maid café. With Katsuki's black top tied onto her waist, there will be no fear in get cat-called by some random guys. As she has promised, she worked onto the counter and write the customers' names in the cup. Although, it's a bit boring, she tried her best to make the letters a bit fancy when they're getting ordered. Since taking pictures with them makes their work slowdown, and most of them felt uncomfortable with the attention, they put up a sign asking customers not to take pictures. It made the whole shifts peaceful for a while since there's no taking of pictures.

"Welcome, what would you like to write in your cup?" She smiled onto the guy in front of her, taking a marker and a cup to make herself ready for the order.

"Sho—"

Unexpectedly, a flash of light came from behind the guy with unusual red and white hair. Chiharu gasped from the sudden clicking sound. Turning her attention to the guy, who is completely smirking upon her maid outfit, made her nervous for a while. The guy isn't wearing their school uniform and seems to be interested in girl's wearing maid uniforms. With that being said, she evenly thought that even she's in the counter, she's getting perverted stares for a bit and that's making her a bit angry.

"Excuse me…" She mumbled softly, trying not to be rude in the guest. She added, "We don't allow taking pictures here please put your camera away."

"Come on, there's no harm in taking a picture or two. You girls look cute, it's a waste if you don't show it to the world." Just as he says that, he raises his camera to take a picture of her again.

"Please stop!" She screamed in wariness, still not trying to be rude.

He smirked lustfully, completely ignoring her words. He suddenly gets closer to her and grab Chiharu's wrist, "Ehehe… You look even cuter when you are angry like that. I can't miss that!"

"Pl-Please listen we—"

"I know! We should take one while you greet customers inside!"

Suddenly, the unknown guy in front of him grabbed his wrist and pulled him out from her wrist forcefully, making the two parties a bit surprised. Her purple orbs travelled to the guy in front of her. A handsome young man who is relatively tall stood in front of her. He has short hair, evenly split between white on his right-side and red on his left. He has a burn scar over his left eye, nonetheless she didn't care at all. He possesses heterochromia which causes his left eye to be turquoise and his right eye to be gray. For a while, her mouth parted in the beauty of his eyes and spaced out on how majestic this guy is.

"Isn't it obvious that she doesn't like what you're doing? They even posted a sign that people aren't allowed to make pictures." His calm and stoic voice echoed throughout the whole room. Tightening his grip onto the bystander's wrist, he flashed an annoyed look, "Plus, I'm the one currently being served so if you would please be responsible and wait for your turn."

"I'm a paying customer! You're not even a maid nor a staff here! Shut the hell up!" He yelped, taking pictures of the other girls. Their girl classmates got annoyed by the act of the rude customer, complaining to him, "Hey, we told you that—"

Without any notice, Shoto grabbed the camera from the rude guest's grasp. He scanned the contents of the camera then stumble upon pictures of a lot of girls taken secretly. His shots are definitely not pleasing to his eyes at all and is considered as sexual harassment. He can't believe what was happening. He just wants to have a cup of coffee and find the owner of the amulet, that's all. With his annoyance by the sudden turn of events, he freezes the camera within his grasps and dropped it to the floor; crashing it with his foot. All of the people within the area are merely shocked from the sudden outburst.

"What the hell that's my camera! You made destroy it!"

"Isn't it rude to ruin such a festive day for these people?" He shot back, his eyes piercing coldly.

"W-What are you saying? I'm a paying customer! Plus, who cares about you anyway?"

"I'm a paying customer as well."

But instead of getting scared of his antics, the guy just let out a smug smile from his lips, reacting over his heroic antics, "Who cares about that girl? She's obviously just a sex do—"

As swift as the wind, he clutched the guy's wrist harshly and smoothly carry and threw him on the floor loudly. With all the people watching in awe, they could only express themselves in pure silence including Chiharu who is watching them. Eventually, Shoto lost his urge to place his order after the whole ruckus; deciding to leave the room before anything happens. He'll just let the security or some people take care of the rude guy.

Meanwhile, Chiharu couldn't process the events in her mind. But the most important thing going through her mind now is to approach that person and thank him. While her classmates are dealing with the rude person, she began to sprint out of the room to look for the guy who saved her. Turning her head in both sides to spot the person she's looking for, she immediately found him with his unique hair color.

"Excuse me!" She called out, making Shoto stop and turn around to look at her.

"I—I…" She tries to catch her rigid breath, as she panted vigorously. She's about to continue her statement when her eyes meet with his. And oh boy, she forgot how to breathe when she saw how beautiful his eyes was—it was deep, soft but behind it was the pain and the walls he built within him. Then her eyes travelled onto the scar that she believes have dealt several pain in his life. He was almost perfect but she could sense that his life is dull base on the emotionless frown his making.

Her eyes widened, her mouth agape from what she saw, and suddenly she couldn't stop herself from mesmerizing his soft features. She's trying to form words, anything just to thank him. But the words wouldn't come out of your mouth. Slowly, she felt your lips stretched to the side.

"You know, you would look great if you smile…" With a toothy-grin on her lips, she manage to radiate the sun-like smile on her features.

Those words were all it took for him to freeze in his place. His eyes widened, his mouth agape from the realization; that over all those years that he is searching for her… He wouldn't expect it to be this day, in a simple Cultural Festival. Suddenly, a good ol' memory flashed to his mind; the words that the guy who saved him back then.

 ** _"I wish I could really let you meet Chiharu. She's a sweet girl that really loves her friends. And I'm sure, she will be glad to be her friend. So, in the near future, if you happen to meet her, be nice to her and surely, she'll offer you that greatest smile on her features."_**

Ryuuji is right. That very girl stands before him wears out the greatest smile that he saw in his whole life. Something soothing, gentle and calm—something radiating? He couldn't describe the warm feeling in his chest as he look out her dumbfounded.

 _I found her, Ryuuji-san._

 _And you're right…_

 _She'll offer the greatest smile the whole world has yet to give._

"Ah, sorry. If I tell you that!" Chiharu stammered, finally realizing what she had stated in a certain stranger. "It just spill out of my mouth without thinking but…" She continued, her eyes softening, "It's true."

"B-By the way, I am Aragaki—"

"Aragaki Chiharu…" He breathes, as if her name takes a load out of his chest.

"Y-Yes. That's me, how do you know my name? Ah, it's because of my name plate, right?" She said, but he is pretty sure that he knows her name because of someone and not some kind of nameplate.

"Thank you for saving me there!"

He could only nod. He feels lost upon the sudden turn of events. He couldn't imagine the fact that the girl he is been looking for years is here.

"How about you? What's your name?"

He's about to speak his name, "Todo—"when the intercom rang all over the building.

 _"The contestants for the Charity Auction please proceed onto the school gym immediately!"_

What a great way to hinder their conversation…

Chiharu frown, "Sorry. I have to go. If you want, I'll be in that event later so you can come and watch me err… get sold? Anyway, I got to go!" She bid her farewell, and sprinted out of the hallway. When she's gone, that's when he realized that he forgot to give back the amulet.

"I guess I have to go in the gym, huh?"

* * *

"Our next participant is Aragaki Chiharu!" came his deafening announcement.

The woman of the hour squared her shoulders up and prepared to head on stage. Although anxiety oozes onto her nerves as she loses the amulet that her best friend gave her. She assures herself that she'll get herself killed for what happen.

The sudden onslaught of lights blinded her at first but it didn't take long for her purple eyes to adjust, positioning herself front and center as instructed.

He managed to find Katsuki in the crowd before the emcee spoke into the mic again. Of course, who will not notice his notable scowl and dangerous aura swarming around him? Standing beside him is Izuku who is cheering for her in such a cute way which she found it adorable. She flashed out her toothy-grin once they realized that she spotted them, and the gesture alone was enough to incite the incessant pounding of her heart, rapping at her chest to an obnoxiously fierce rhythm. Unbelievable…. She's too nervous about this.

"Aragaki Chiharu, also known as the Class 2-B's adorable innocent girl, "he began, emphasizing the accomplished feat with vibrancy bouncing off each syllable. "She has a good conduct with the teachers and her fellow students as she was always seen with a bouncing radiating sunshine smile across her lips. And guess what? She's also pretty intelligent; competing with different kinds of competition all around the city." The next order of business was to offer the crowd a better view of the prized specimen before them, so with the snap of his fingers he motioned for the petrol-blue haired girl to make a full three-sixty degree turn, to which she willingly obey with no further questions. Someone in the back whistled and a few guys in the front row smirk like smitten idiots. "Unbeknownst to the people around her, the newspaper club caught her visiting a stray cat across the neighbourhood and took it home for shelter!"

The last bit earned a collective 'Awwww' from the audience, with most fawning over the heartfelt gesture. Katsuki on the other hand wanted to pulverize whoever was responsible for whistling and looking at her with lustful thoughts.

"There you have it!" the emcee concluded. "Let's start the bidding at three thousand yen!"

"Five thousand!" called one exceptionally eager man. Chiharu was unsuccessful in identifying his location.

"Ten thousand!" That was definitely Katsuki.

"Thirteen thousand!" Izuku took it up a notch.

"Fifteen thousand!" the first woman shouted in retaliation.

A single bead of sweat rolled down from Chiharu's temple, hoping desperately that Katsuki and Izuku could catch up. She tried to place her hope that the ash-blonde's salary from working in the cake shop will cover the expenses.

"Eighteen thousand!"

"Twenty thousand!"

"THIRTY THOUSAND, BASTARDS!" Katsuki's outburst took the entire audience by surprise. Even Chiharu had to catch herself as though she would buckle under the overbearing weight of her knees. The explosive teen swears he'll put his freaking salary, monthly allowance and his savings. Never mind the videogame that he excitingly waits for, he will freaking buy his best friend at all cost. Hopefully, it will manage to shut all those people who only relies on their parent's money not to buy her. That's the last of it, and he swears to sabotage the school if anyone dares to go beyond it.

The emcee peered outwards, scanning the crowded room for any potential objections. "Thirty thousand," he repeated. "Going once… going twice…"

Katsuki was only disappointed his quirk wasn't time manipulation to speed up the process. He was mere seconds away from liberation. It seems like these people has no match with his offer and is smirking in process. There's no way some rich boy would attend this kind of Cultural festival and bid twice as his bidding. That's just too—

"So-" the emcee is about to declare that Chiharu would be sold when a hand raise from the crowd.

"Fifty thousand." Shoto deadpanned, making the crowd gasp in awe, especially Chiharu whose eyes are wide open as she recognizes that it wasn't Katsuki who bid that. That's too much for a student, if she would think. On the other hand, Izuku was shocked as well. Who would even go so much for just a dance in the bonfire?! That's just too much money! That's ridiculous!

Meanwhile, Katsuki is frozen stiff. His crimson eyes tried to search for that annoying bastard who dare to bid much higher than what he bid. He curses himself for not working three jobs to bid for a hundred thousand for Chiharu. He is fucking broke for goodness sake!

"Fuck! Who the fucking hell is that guy!? I'm going to kill you!" From the fourth row, he couldn't see the guy who managed to snag her out of him. And he swears, if he ever spot that guy, he will definitely kill that. Also, what's with the unenthusiastic bid anyway!?

"S-Stop it, Kacchan!"

"Shut the fuck up, scum!"

"G-Going once… going twice…" the emcee repeated, trying to slow down as if anyone's going to interrupt again.

"Sold!"

Chiharu's eyes broadened when she heard those four letters from the emcee. And if she could only scream in the stage, she will. If she could curse out loud, she will. Who the hell bought her!?

The emcee declared, finalizing the bid as confetti was strewn about the platform. "To the handsome young guy in the fourth row! You can meet her backstage after the auction has concluded. Be sure to stick around for the dance as well!"

Shoto asked to himself, "Dance? But, I just want to talk to her about something."

* * *

Author's Note:

Dun! Dun! Dun! Dun! And the winner is Todoroki Shoto *launches confetti* Who told you Katsuki will be the one buying Chiharu!? Anyway, stick to the next chapter on how Katsuki will sabotage the Cultural Festival, just kidding hahaha! Thank you for the comments my dear readers. I really appreciate it! So, to keep on stimulating my determination in writing this fanfic, please do comment your thoughts!

Thank you so much for everything!


	12. Chapter 12: Cultural Festival (Pt2)

Chapter 12: Cultural Festival Shenanigans (Pt. 2)

* * *

Shoto couldn't comprehend what he just did. He thought that in order to protect her from the molesters, he should be buying her especially from the angry cursing machine who shouted thirty thousand a while ago. He may not saw who that person is, but his instincts told him that the guy is dangerous so he saved her instead.

Nonetheless, he haven't heard of the dance at all.

"Fucking hell, who bought her!? Show yourself!"

"Who the hell bought Aragaki Chiharu? Show your fucking self, bastard!"

"Kacchan, calm down!"

"Shut the fuck up, stupid nerd!"

Shoto rummages all over his surroundings to search for the guy yelling to the crowd about him buying Chiharu. Then, his eyes landed upon a certain ash-blonde screaming and ranting on how he didn't buy her and was being hold back by a scrawny curly-green haired guy. The crowds are getting aware by his ruckus that it's getting lots of feedback from them. It started to tick him on how dangerous that man is. Judging from his appearance, he looks like a certain delinquent; waiting for some trouble. Anyway, he's been screaming for nonstop like he owns Chiharu and he didn't like that.

One thing is for sure…

Shoto needs to save Chiharu from the angry cursing machine.

* * *

Chiharu is in pure chaos.

She sighs deeply for the umpteenth time but it can't stop her heart from rampaging inside her rib cage. She's so nervous about the identity of the person who bought her. It's her first time getting so chummy with a guy that's not Katsuki or Izuku. She could only cling to the dim hope that it won't be some kind of pervert who wanted her.

Anyway, judging by the voice, it seems like the one who bought her isn't that enthusiastic enough base on his tone. Crossing her fingers, she fought the urge to skip and flee this event. Oh god, she hates strangers invading her personal space. This what happens when she loses her precious amulet Katsuki gave her to free her from those annoying bastards. She'll get killed later.

When there are only few participants left in the auction, she wasted no time vacating the premises, hopping off into the darkness of the backstage area. It was a few minutes when the auction winners are permitted to enter the area. Her heart began to thump vigorously again; silently hoping that it's a nice guy with a pure heart. While chanting her mantra of nervousness, someone tapped her shoulder causing her to squeak for a bit.

"K-Katsuki! Help!" She screamed in her head, shutting her eyes in wariness.

Turning her head in jumpiness, she's come face to face to the guy whom she really thought was pretty a while ago. Flicks of red and white hair flowed onto the background and his eyes were audibly twinkling to her; giving her a radiating hope.

"Aragaki-san, right? I'm the one who bought you. Are you alright?"

The moment that he stated those words everything fell into pieces. Suddenly, everything is tranquil and soothing. Her heart stopped beating so hard—all the pent up anxiety is gone. It's as if… everything about him screams serene. In this kind of scenario, every time she needs help a certain ash-blonde will always pop up into her eyes and will grab her away from any awry situation.

 _But this time it's different…_

 _This time it's not him…_

 _Even though she hasn't really known this guy for ages…_

 _Even though it's not Katsuki…_

 _It's not Izuku either…_

 _But the moment she was entangled with his eyes…_

 _She knew…_

 _She's safe…_

"Thank you…" She mumbled, suddenly a single tear from the corner of her eye slid down to her features.

Upon seeing her features that gives of a shaky and fretting feeling, Shoto felt something twist on his chest. It felt different. He doesn't want to see something like this. She was so scared. But then again, he doesn't know how to manage a crying lady in front of him. Shoto admits he's not good at this; he's not good with emotions but he needs to do something.

His fingers moves at its own accord, suddenly, he found his fingers touching her cheeks as he wipes out the tears cascading from her purple eyes. Eventually, everything began to blur and slow down. Upon feeling his soft touch on her round cheeks, she begins to feel a tingling sensation within her body—especially to the heart.

Realization hit Shoto like a truck, pulling him out into reality when he grasps upon his current status; he is invading her personal space. He hastily pulled away his hands away from her with a slight blush grazing his cheeks. He barely even know her! What is he doing?

"S-Sorry." He apologizes, his lips churning from embarrassment.

"N-No, i-it's okay!" She stumbled, brushing away the remaining tears from her eyes as she pulled out a cheery grin onto her features, "I'm seriously thankful of your presence! I thought some random perverted or delinquent from the back bought me."

Speaking of delinquents, Shoto is reminded on how the pesky ash-blonde reacted upon him buying her. From afar, he heard someone from afar; banging the doors and forcing himself onto the backstage. His eyes began to travel to the source of the sound and saw a glimpse of ash-blonde scolding some rubbish while the curly-green haired guy tries to stop him.

"Hey, who the fucking hell bought Haru!? Where is she?!"

"K-Kacchan, sto—sto—"

"Shut it!" Katsuki shouted, then faces the attendant, "Don't you even know some kind of perverted ass bought her!? Give her to me, right this second!"

"Sorry but we can't do tha—"

"It's all your fucking fault that she's in this mess! What if someone attacks her then I don't have any slightest clue where the fuck she is!?"

"K-Kaccha—"

"Get your stupid ass out, Deku!"

One thing is for sure, based upon how the 'delinquent' acts, she's in grave danger.

"Umm. Aragaki-san, we have to get out of here." Shoto started, trying to shield her figure from Katsuki's sight.

"H-Huh? Yes, if you insist." Chiharu comply, trying to understand his complete wariness upon the time.

"Ah, found you, shitty bastard!" Suddenly, Katsuki spotted Shoto and Chiharu. As soon as he founds them, he didn't hesitate to push the attendant away from him as Izuku spouts some apology to them.

"Ah Katsu—"

Shoto clicked his tongue upon stumbling onto the 'delinquent', and without any slightest clue within his mind to protect Chiharu from them, he began to grab her wrist and stormed out of the hall immediately. And because of that she's not aware why she is getting drag out of the hall and why they're running away from her friend.

"Hey, get your ass in here, bastard!" Katsuki's eyes glimmered in pure anger, as he tried to go after to them but was totally reprimanded by the security and Izuku.

"K-Kacchan, you have to calm down!"

"I don't fucking care what you say, dimwit!"

"Y-You're s-sabotaging the cultural festival!"

"I don't care, dumbass! That guy is absolutely a pervert, don't you even care about her!?"

"I care b-but Kacchan you are causing a ruckus to the whole auction!"

With that being said, the student council members and some ushers began to halt the raging ash-blonde, dragging him out of the hall. Struggling away from these people, he began to yelp some mountain of curses out of these people.

Seriously, why the hell is these happening to him!?

He just wants Chiharu safe that's all.

But, Katsuki won't be like this. He won't let other people drag his sorry ass out of this hall and let him have some disciplinary shit; that's utter bullshit. So without any hesitations, he began to twirl around the pile of students from the grasps and uses his quirk to propel him out of them and run away from the guards.

"K-Kacchan!? Stop!"

"So long, fucking losers!" He mocked before he gets caught.

Honestly, for Izuku, he is tired of all these bullshit going around him.

* * *

A red, orange and yellow ball of rage roared upward eating its way through the wooden pyramid at its base. Plumes of grey were buffeted into the night sky, carried aimlessly by a chill wind. Before that great fire the skin of every student dancing around it glows red, orange and gold. Every eye reflects the flickering, each iris containing a small picture of the bonfire before them. Yet it isn't simply the sight that has them mesmerized, so too has the crackling and the woody fragrance of smoke.

Within the school grounds stood Chiharu and Shoto looking onto some students dancing in delight. It's evening already and as expected evening chills began to get a hold of her. A light sneeze escape from her pink lips, her arms both wrapped onto her arms. Before she could even think about moving, however, Shoto held out his left hand, his palm facing up. Chiharu stared it up for a second, maybe two or three.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"You're cold."

"A little," She admitted, but is utterly confused to why he wanted to hold her hand just like that. Only couples do that, right? But well, she did it to Izuku and Katsuki lots of times but they're not even going out. With all these thoughts encircling her mind, she felt like it will blow up a fuse. Normally, she wouldn't think about these kind of things but something is really shaking her up down to the core—especially within her chest.

She sucks in a breath, and threw out every thought that comes into her mind out of the metaphorical window, carefully placing her hand on top of his.

He was so warm.

On a quick span, she never thought about her next action as she placed their hands together on her cheeks with a soft warm smile tugging her lips. Although, Shoto is taken aback from her actions; somehow Chiharu felt comfortable.

"You're so warm…" She chuckled, fluttering her eyelashes to him as every core in her being softens. For a bit, Shoto didn't know what to do. Everything about this day is fate speaking to himself. He finally met the girl whom Ryuuji mentioned and even saw her delightful smile across her face. That was plenty enough, right? Somehow, it didn't.

"Speaking of which…" For a while he lets go of her hand and check his pockets only to reveal the Japanese amulet that she longs for a while. Seeing the amulet in his hands made her a bit cheerful and carefully flashed her toothy-grin within her lips as she tucks the amulet back to her pocket, "I really thought I won't ever see this… I'm so glad…"

He accomplished everything, right? He talked to her already. He gave her the amulet. But something is missing within him; he wanted more. He wanted to say the words he sought to say way back when Ryuuji tells him to be friends with her.

"Hey, you are really something." She started, pulling him back to reality.

"Hm?"

"Because whenever I'm with you, everything seems to be calm. It tells me like I'm secure to you or something."

"Eh?"

She continued, "At first, I didn't really like to interact with other guys because of what they did to me a while ago. I only thought that my friends will be the only ones who will make me reassure like this. But, encountering you like this, I glad that I met you." She flashed yet another smile that he long for.

 _Come on!_

 _Tell her!_

 _Tell her, Shoto!_

 _Tell her that you…_

 _You want to be friends with her!_

"Speaking of that, you haven't told me your name!"

His hands again moved at its own will, reaching out to her as he longs for her warmth, "I'm Todo—"

A random hand suddenly snaked onto his wrist; his eyes travelling to the guy who owned that hand. A familiar ash-blond with striking scowling crimson eyes stared at him coldly, as soon as their eyes met, Katsuki's other hand wrapped into Chiharu and pulled her against him, "Don't touch her."

"She's _mine._ " He trailed, his eyes glared with daggers and intensity.

"Huh? I don't belong to—Katsuki put me down!" Chiharu finds herself slumped onto Katsuki's shoulder like a sack of rice. Shoto is about to fight back when she began to emit the 'delinquent's' name, meaning she knows him and he doesn't need to stuck his nose onto the other people's business. Though, he doesn't have any urges to fight back as there are some things swirling onto his mind.

"Shut up! You've used your time for this bastard!"

"You said that but you didn't even buy me!"

"Shut the fuck up!"

"I told you I don't belong to anyone, hear me?!"

Shoto could only watch their figures disappear into thin air bit by bit. But as seconds passed by, the radiating warm of fire was replaced with the chilly cold wind that he distaste. Seeing Katsuki and Chiharu's interaction made him a bit jealous. They're close. They know each other. Plus, she is happy with just being Katsuki base in her interaction with him. Then, he found himself hovering over the hand that Chiharu held within her cheeks. Recalling to that time where she smiles so dearly to him, something within him breaks to pieces. He can't ruin that smile. He can't stay by her side. He can't be her friend.

"I can't…"

Shoto lowers his head, closing his hands tightly, chewing his lower lip in frustration.

"I can't be friends with you."

 _It's all my fault!_

 _You don't have the right to be friends with her!_

 _After all, I'm the one who made your father die._

 _It's because of me…_

 _Ryuuji-san has to…_

 _Sorry…_

* * *

"Katsuki, you've seriously got to stop threatening murder." Finally, she stopped from struggling under his strong clutches and settled down with his shoulder. She can't believe she's letting her do what he pleases. Sure, he enjoys being with that red and white hair guy but now that she mentioned it, she never learned his name. Oh well, she hopes one day that they'll meet again under a nice scenario where they can talk with each other.

 _I want to be his friend…_

Anyway, she got to mail Izuku about her whereabouts. Her fingers dance through the screen as she types her message to the freckled boy. Of course, she won't leave Izuku alone. If they are going to do the annual bonfire dance it should be the three of them and that's final.

"And they've seriously got to stop fucking with you and pissing me off." Katsuki grumbled under his breath, as he makes his way towards the roof; not giving a shit whether it's off-limits. When they reached the said place, they were greeted by the cold wind stinging their skins, carefully, he settled her down to the ground smoothly.

Dusting her uniform off, she started, "So, now that we're here… Is it time for the annual bonfire dance with the three of us?"

Scepticism drew Katsuki's brows together. Did he hear that right? He was about to ask what she meant by her offhanded remark but fell short of any words when he turned around to face her, taking her in from top to bottom now that she was up close. The girl had practically dolled herself up, donning a simple pink knee-length dress and pink pumps to match. Her rosy cheeks were complemented by bright purple eyes under feathery dark lashes.

Fuck, she was so fucking cute. Then again, Pink Cheeks had always been objectively cute, he supposed, but he didn't need this right now! His heart was swelling up again, aching with every thump the vessel hammered in rapid succession. The insufferable rattling of his ribcage made him want to set the whole building on fire.

It took a moment for Katsuki to regain his composure, and after finding some semblance of clarity he asked a terse, "You actually want to dance?"

She tucked a loose stray of hair behind her hair, nodding. "Um… yeah," she replied. "It's been what we usually do, right?"

He had totally planned on skipping that shit, but for reasons beyond basic rationale he found himself questioning the actual plan. "Well, fuck…! Should we?!" He was sure he looked as pathetic and confused as he sounded.

"Ah, wait! Izu-chan is not yet here! Guess, we can't do that thing..."

Hearing another man's name made him enraged for some reasons. Then again, it will always the dumbass name she'll always pit whenever he is around. Isn't it about time that she began to look at him? He is right here, isn't he? It's been always Izuku, he even wonders sometimes if she ever likes that nerd? Because if that happens, he won't know what to do.

Somehow, imagining her with some other guy irritates him.

Chiharu let out a tiny yelp as Katsuki slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her towards him, causing him to stall awkwardly. Where the hell was he supposed to put his hands? He was the guy- therefore he was supposed to lead, right?

Then he breathes next to her ear, "Don't mention some other guy's name when we're alone." And fuck, he could feel himself blushing from ear to ear. He couldn't even comprehend that he just stated those words in front of her. Those sweet words that rings onto her ears somehow made an impact to her whole being especially something in her chest.

What's with these tingling sensation anyway?!

She could only stare at him dumbfounded; her mouth completely ajar from what he said.

"What? Do you actually enjoy that fucking half n' half bastard's accompany!?"

She chuckled upon his cute demeanour. Her best friend is totally cute. This jealous Katsuki will be the death of her.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?!"

"Nothing." She teased with a soft smile across her lips. Well, she guess that he needs a bit reward for going to the trouble in bidding for her that high. She looped her arms around Katsuki, having picked up on cues from other couples. At first her hands were a bit shaky, but they eventually calmed after being placed atop his shoulders. It wasn't long before they found their rhythm, albeit at a slow and tentative pace.

Katsuki felt the tiny petite girl put her head on his chest, further intensifying his fluttering heart palpitations. He wondered if she was already secretly aware of the effect she had on him; what with the ability to bring about his flustered state and a raw variety of other chaotic emotions.

And now that she was in his arms, sinking into his warmth as he held her close, all he could think about was how he'd never felt anything as calm or peaceful.

Would it be weird if they were to do this again… sometime?

Against his better judgment, Bakugou decided to find out. "Listen," he began, straining for the right words, "Haru… You know…"

"Kacchan! Chi-chan!" Suddenly, Izuku bursted out of the door as he pants aggressively. Seeing Katsuki and Chiharu dancing in the rhythm of the sound of the dance in the ground made him blush upon the scene. Eventually, Chiharu lets go of Katsuki much to his distress and pulls Izuku closer to the entangling chains of the rooftop. Hurling her arms on the guy's arms, she began to look at the sky and saw countless of stars twinkling above them.

"Let's make a wish!" She pointed, smiling at them.

"That's bullshit. It's not even a shooting star!"

"Katsuki, shut up."

"Fuck you."

"C-Come on, Chi-chan and Kacchan. We just got a tiring day so avoid cat fights, right?" He chided, trying to calm these two raging lions down as they glared at each other. Finally, she confided in and the ash-blonde shrug it off with a grunt.

"In the count of three, let's say our ultimate wishes! Well, I think we all know what it will be." She chuckled, glancing at her two friends back and forth.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"I WANT TO BE THE GREATEST HERO OF ALL TIME!" They shouted in complete unison, with delights in their hearts. Spending these time with her friends is something she is fond of, and hopefully this wish will be the starting point of her dreams.

 _She will become a hero…_

 _With them…_

 _Right?_

* * *

Author's Note:

A fast chapter for everyone. For a second, I thought that I am turning this into a Shoto x OC fanfic LOLOLOLOLOLOL. This is a Katsuki x OC, come on! Angry boi won't like it if anyone is stealing his dearest Chiharu from him. Thank you for the comments! I really appreciated it! Some ppl really wanted this fanfic to be a Shoto x OC x Katsuki but idk… It's fun writing Tododorki HAHAHAHAHA.

Anyway, please leave some thoughts about this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it!


	13. Chapter 13: Not All Promises are True

**Author's Note: A friendly note lol. Take notice of the time because it will appear in the next few chapters~**

* * *

Chapter 13: Not All Promises are True

* * *

 _1:00PM_

* * *

"Geez, Taira what are you doing with yourself?"

"Sorry, Sho-chan."

Taira tried her best to flash a reassuring smile onto her pale lips but failed when Shota rolled his eyes in response. Meaning, he won't be affected by the chances of her hiding her sickness with a faint smile. The guy knows everything about her because they've been friends for more than a decade already. Apparently, Shota got a call from the hospital wherein Taira had an episode so she's brought into the nearest hospital immediately.

"You're going to skip work." Shota deadpanned, his hands both onto his black pants as he stared at her surprised demeanour.

"I can't! Sho-chan, I—I!"

"And that's final. You're going home in this very minute."

"B-But—!"

"No buts, we're heading home."

Shota didn't let her speak another word, dragging her into her own two feet, which saddens her the most. He knows what's upsetting her but he has no choice but to be so strained with his words. Seeing her current state isn't pleasing to his eyes at all. Securing her not to sneak out of his eye, he led her towards her residence. Their walk is quite silent than they used to be with Shota leading her onto her house. A few moments passed and they're now already in the Aragaki residence. It's his first time going to this property since Ryuuji only invites him for some restaurant outside their houses. Though, by the looks of it, it's quite good and pleasant but he knew something is missing behind this vibrant house. Taking a peek onto Taira, he noticed her bland eyes and soft frown in her lips.

Shaking out the frown in her soft lips, she flashed a smile, "Let's go." Opening the door of their house, both Shota and Taira headed to the living room, where they can relax for a moment. Although, the walk through the living room is short, Shota noticed how Taira walks wobbly onto her knees, then suddenly her knees collapsed on their own. Luckily, Shota caught her in the moment or else she'll bump into some vases along the way.

He assisted her to her couch, propping her to make herself more comfortable. Observing her from head to toe, he could hear her ragged breathing and her obvious pale skin.

"Sho-chan like a dad." She stated with a slight smile on her lips.

"Shut up and rest." He rolled his eyes from her comment, extending his hand towards her forehead and feel her scorching temperature, "You have a fever and yet you're telling me you're alright. Consider yourself lucky since they've decided to call me instead of your daughter."

"Sorry… for bothering you." She frowned, her eyelids fleeting sorrowfully towards him. "I really don't want to let Chiharu excuse herself from school because of me."

"If you know that, then don't overwork yourself. How's your health? I haven't visited you for a while. What I mean by health—your mental and physical health."

She gulped for a bit upon hearing her friend's question. For a while the room went silent as she fidgeted to herself whether to lie or not. Though knowing her best friend, she knew that he won't take a no nor a lie for an answer. Sighing to herself to calm her nerves, she began to talk, "Recently, I have severe anemia. Due to being so inclined with my work, I'm stressing out myself and getting sleep-derived." She paused, exhaling a bit then continued, "And… Ever since Ryuuji died, I'm getting hallucination about him. I know he is dead. I knew it but…" Her voice hitched from her story, trying her best to stop the overwhelming emotions that spreads all throughout the breath.

"I just can't stop believing that maybe he is here… Maybe he is alive. Maybe, Chiharu will be happy if he's here… It's my fault I—"

"No one's at fault." Shota shot back, extending his hand towards her head and ruffles her hair gently, "I'm sure your child isn't thinking of that. Anyway, enough of that, you have to lay down and I'll get you something to eat."

He stood from his seat and began to rummage over the kitchen. As Taira began to watch her best friend's back, she couldn't help but a bit hopeful by the things going all around them. A wild smile crept onto her lips from reuniting with her ol' time dear Sho-chan. Laying onto her couch, she hummed onto the thought that maybe, just a tiny quality time with him, is just something she needs.

"How's UA?" She began to ask, seemingly curious about his work environment.

He replied from the kitchen, "It's the same as always. Some random brats wanted to be hero, thinking that being a hero is all about coolness. I really hate those kind of stuff."

"My lil' Chiharu is aiming to go there as well." She chuckled upon the memory, "I told her that Eraserhead went to UA and that she said she wants to follow your footsteps!"

"What are you teaching to your kid? Am I a god to her? Geez, You and Ryuuji's antics never failed to amaze me."

"That's why, I've been saving money for her to go to that prestigious school. At least, I want her to fulfill her dream to become a hero."

"Enough rumbling and eat the porridge." Shota presented a hot bowl of porridge right in front of her. With his dead fish eyes, he began to serve porridge to the woman beside him with a heave. Any moment, he'll be sleeping in this couch so fast than her though. He is tired… as always. Eventually, she tried to eat the porridge in a swift, tasting the cooking of Shota.

"Do you really have to overwork yourself to the point of catching diseases?" Out of the blue, Shota began to converse which makes her taken aback from the sudden question.

"H-Huh?"

"I can help you with the financial stuff so stop for the mean time…. please." It is rare for him to plead but when he does, she knew something fuck up. She fuck up. Her glistering eyes traveled its way towards his dark black eyes, and it's been while since she sees some flash of emotions to him. "I know some way to help her get into UA without any cost so look after yourself. For a while, take care of yourself."

"Am I really that… severe?" She chuckled weakly but her eyebrows twitched in wariness. "Sorry, Sho-chan. I don't know what to do anymore. "

"I wanted to provide Chiharu her happiness. That's why, I've been working a lot for her future even if it cost my health, even if it costs my time with her, I'll do it. But, as I grind myself further, the gap between us becomes wider and wider." Slow desolate tears ran from her unblinking eyes and dripped steadily into her skirt.

"With the way things are going, I couldn't help but ask myself if I... I'm worthy enough to become her mother? Am I being a good mother to her? Am I doing the right thing?"

She hiccuped, cupping her warm hands to brush off the rampant tears cascading from her eyes. "Day by day, Chiharu tried her best to manage the household chores yet I couldn't even contribute to any. I will only wake up to find everything is done… I haven't done… anything… Then, I began to ask myself if Chiharu is good without me… I wanted to let her enjoy life freely than trying to enclose herself with me…. I felt like I am just a burden I haven't ask anything about her well-being; is she still friends with Katsuki-kun and Izuku-kun? Is she making any friends? E-Everything… I—I don't know what to—"

He interrupted her statement as Shota wrapped her swiftly in a warm swaddle of his chest and arms, which causes her to be surprised from the sudden action. "Taira," He called her name out with seriousness, which ticks her that she should not screw out her answer, "You told me last time that Chiharu is always bringing you souvenirs, gifts or food every time she goes home. Do you know the meaning of that?"

She shakes her head.

"It means that she wants to see your smile. She wants to see you be delighted for once." He murmured next to her ear, as his next statement literally made her validated, "You're a good mother because you and Ryuuji raised someone who is delightfully selfless and pure. I'm sure Ryuuji will tell you the same as well."

"Lean on me this time Taira. I'm here so this time look at yourself and be happy. I'm sure that's what Ryuuji wants for you and Chiharu"

She shakily returned his hug with her arms, gripping his shirt tightly. Sobbing onto his chest loudly, for a while she thought that having Shota as her best friend is something she'll treasure forever. But for Shota it is different, somehow, deep in his chest he knew something is up—something is wrong. Suddenly flashes of memory returned to his mind from their middle school days, the day he is such a jerk to Taira and up until the time he decided to leave them for his dream. The emotion he knew he threw a long time ago during the time of the Aragaki wedding is making its way back.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._

No, he won't. Ever.

He knew Taira is happy with Ryuuji.

He promised to take good care of Ryuuji's family. And as his best friend, he will do it.

After a few moments, Shota made Taira rest for a while because she's awfully heating up already. Tucking the blanket onto her petite body, he arranged the couch to sooth her relaxation. Then, he sat in front of her as he watches her doze in sleep for a moment.

Suddenly, a silent beep screamed from his smart phone. Grabbing his gizmo, his fingers danced through the screen and revealed a text message from the Principal to check things up. Well, as soon as he's contacted by the hospital, he didn't hesitate to leave his class and ask the Principal to let him get off this time because of an emergency.

Judging by the flow of events, he may come to the school now since Taira is fast asleep and recovering. For a few hours, Chiharu will come home and take good care of her mother. Yep, things are going smoothly. When he's about to stand up and make a call with the principal to tell him that everything is under control, a light tug caresses his fingers. His eyes travelled to the smooth fingers who manages to snake onto his pinky, he realizes its Taira. She's half-asleep judging from her grip.

Her turquoise eyes looked as if an ocean had been encased inside of small glass marbles. She murmured softly, enough to make his attention locked onto her, "Please don't leave me… Sho-chan…" Then the smooth spheres appeared to be cracked; forming some tiny tears within her eyes.

A slight blush escaped onto his cheeks, as he tried to cover it with his palms. Upon seeing her striking eyes peered onto his dead eyes with the combination of her husky voice, he knew the answer. Sitting back to his seat, he returned her grip by squeezing her pinky.

His fingers tapped the screen of his smartphone, sending some reply to the principal.

 _"Sorry, but she hasn't recovered yet. I couldn't come back. But, I will fulfil the assigned paper works as soon as I get back there. Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."_

He puts his smartphone on the coffee table with a soft puff. Watching her calm sleeping face, he replied softly to her, "I won't be going anywhere."

And, damn. He won't get any ounce of sleep again.

* * *

 _4:30 PM_

* * *

"Sho-chan, you don't really have to do this."

"I will be back in the school premises by thirty minutes so you don't have to worry. Plus, I wanted to see Ryuuji's grave as well."

Currently, Taira and Shota sat in front of Ryuuji's grave. After having her nap, she decided to head over her husband's grave since it's his death anniversary. And Shota, being an overprotective guy, he went as well to secure Taira's safety. Though, he wanted to visit his pal's grave as well after so much years.

"Surely, Ryuuji loves to see your sleepy head after a long time." She cooed, gazing upon the grave of her husband.

Shota rolled his eyes in response, really she doesn't need to add those words up in front of Ryuuji. But still, it's nice to be visiting him again. Luckily, he hasn't been hunted because he hasn't visited him for the longest time.

"I will buy us some juice!" Taira cheered, standing up from her seat.

"You will stay here and I'll be the one buying us one." He deadpanned, but the lady insisted upon doing the favour. Telling him that she's fine and it's literally a few walk away from the grave. If there's anything he really hates to resist, its Taira's puffing puppy eyes that manages to snag a place to his chest. He really hates that fact. Once she won over persuading him, she began to cheer a slight 'yehey!', leaving him alone in the graveyard while she skips walk away from him.

A heavy sigh escaped from his lips as he observe her usual self going back to normal. Well then, it's time to talk with his best friend. With a clear deadpan, he began to gaze onto Ryuuji's grave, "It's been a while, idiot."

He trailed off, continuing, "I will never admit this to you but I kind of miss how you rant about your life and how you tell me some stories about Taira, especially about your daughter. Speaking of your daughter, I haven't seen her ever since your burial."

He reminisce back from the day Ryuuji will usually invite him over some talks in a certain stalls. Every time they meet, his eyes will sparkle on how cute his daughter is and how he is excited to watch her grow up. There are times that Ryuuji will talk about Taira's mannerism. Oh how he misses his laid-back attitude. Guilt rushes up to Shota's nerves when he remembers the time when he didn't manage to save Ryuuji.

If he just captured the villain earlier then these things won't happen. Taira won't be in such grief. How he wishes he could turn back the time and re-do things again. But that's not the case, he needs to pursue reality.

"Ryuuji, I won't steal Taira from you, don't worry. I have chosen this path. It's my way for atoning my sins for being a huge jerk way back. I'm sure surprised that you haven't hated me after what I did. You're really quite something. Therefore, I will make things straight and fulfil what you told me during your death. In your stead, I will protect them with my might."

"We might not be the happy three friends, or so what you named our group will be. But your presence will always be here. So, rest assured, Pro Hero Eraserhead will be here."

A trail of steps echoed from afar, realizing it was Taira's. With a hum escaping from her lips, she skip walked to him with the said drink in hand.

"What are you rumbling in front of his grave? Oh gosh, you're telling some secrets about me?!" Taira squeaked, positioning her arms to form a slight shield away from him.

"I'm not idiot."

Surprisingly, a wide grin etched onto her features, chuckling upon him, "Sho-chan, you look awful there." For a moment, Shota's world stopped and went blur. It's seems like ages ever since Taira smiled and laughed with all her heart. The sunshine beaming at her features. Upon seeing her bright personality, it seemed like he was brought back onto the time in their middle school where the three of them will be happily smiling on themselves. A small smile escaped from his lips, as he glances over Ryuuji's grave.

 _"_ Shota, thank you for those words a while ago."

"No problem."

"Thanks to you," She trailed flashing another bright smile, "I will be able to start a new life again; forgetting about the past and focusing to be the great Mom Ryuuji and Chiharu wants me to be."

 _I will be protecting this smile from now on…_

* * *

8:00PM

* * *

 ** _Good Evening Everyone! A certain house in a small village was been attack by the villains according to the said investigation. The house is crumpled into pieces, not even a single thing stands on its own. Please zoom in into the house!_**

Shota's eyes widened from the image shown onto his smartphone. It was the same house he visited a while ago. It is the house where he drop Taira by after their visit in Ryuuji's grave. The teachers of UA is about to head in the meeting hall when he hurled his way to the Principal, surprising a lot of them. It's their first seeing a panicking Shota in their whole life.

"Hey, Eraserhead! What's wrong?" Hizashi asked, a bit surprised with his companion's sudden action.

Shota ignored everyone's surprised looks and explained, "I'm sorry but I have to leave again. There's an emergency."

"Emergency?"Nezu asked.

"My friend was hurled into a villain attack. I absolutely have to go there be—"

"Go, Eraserhead."

With the permission of the principal, Shota decided to ditch the meeting about the upcoming UA Entrance Exam as he emitted a loud apology and sprinted out of the premises. His breath became loud and short, and he ignored the way his muscles burned from his abrupt run. There was no way...

Taira is fine a while ago!

She is smiling so dearly!

He couldn't believe what was happening!

 **The Pro Heroes and police officers continuously tries to investigate the current happenings. Apparently, they couldn't find any signs of people stuck in the house.**

* * *

8:45PM

* * *

He ran and ran and ran all the way to her house. The distance he covered seemed longer— larger— than he would have liked. By the time he got there— he paused at the seemingly Aragaki residence. Mass media and Pro Heroes swarm all over the house.

Even though he hates those bastards scooping up news, he didn't have the time in dealing with them as he went passed by the hoard. After a few moments, pushed in front of the crowd, and his eyes landed on something unsightly. Before, it gives out a vibrant atmosphere from a happy family but the way the things are going, the house appeared to be crumpled into pieces. Everything collapsed and everything seems to be piles of rubbish. It clearly cleared out the whole house.

His hands on his knees, his breath came out short and silent— the house felt so... empty.

 **We just got an information. A few steps away from the house another incident occurred! An old construction building also collapsed from its foundation. There were—**

His phone slipped on to the ground, crashing neatly to the solid cement when he saw something in his feet—that one thing that dreaded and reminded him of Ryuuji's death.

 _Taira's wedding ring._

Again... He failed again!

Promising about protecting them...

What kind of Pro Hero is he!?

That's bullshit!

* * *

Author's Note:

Yes, what on earth happened? From here on, the time will play a significant part in the next chapters in case you want to keep on track of the story you may follow the flow of events. Thank you for reading and from this chapter onwards… the angst will kill you. Be prepared folks~

School is starting again so I might update a little bit or I don't know it depends. Please leave a comment! I love reading your thoughts~ Until the next chapter! Plus Ultra!


	14. Chapter 14: Into Glassy Shards

Author's Note:

The following chapters will take place before Shota arrived at the crime scene ((to avoid some confusion)) I will go onto the details to what happened before the incident. Please take note of the time to avoid getting lost in reading the next few chapters. Thank you so much! Happy Reading!

* * *

Chapter 14: Into Glassy Shards

* * *

6:00 AM

* * *

Sometime earlier…

Chiharu woke up in distress. Apparently, the loud coughs of her mother downstairs have startled her from her deep slumber. It was a barking cough. And at the end of each cough it had that whistling sound you get when the airways are closing up. She was hacking continuously for a while then taking in a sharp gasp of breath.

Adrenaline rushes through her veins as she jumped off of her bed, running downstairs with her rapid footsteps. The first thing she actually saw is her mother lying on the floor panting heavily. Seeing Taira's condition made her surprised, eventually running towards her with all her might. Kneeling down to pick her mother's fragile body, she began to call her name out, "Mom! Mom! Mom!"

"Chi…haru?"

"Wait Mom," slinging the older lady's arm to her shoulders, she tried to prop her mother up and guided her to the nearest couch she could find. When she made Taira sit comfortably, she pulled out any type of paper bag as well as her medicine and a glass of water, offering it to her. Gulping all the remaining contents, she exhaled deeply and looked at her daughter with those dark circles hanging her eyes. After a few breathes, her breathing calm down, flashing a tired smile to her.

"Sorry Chiharu for making you worry."

"Geez, mom what are you doing early in the morning?" She kneels in front of her, scratching the back of her head.

"I was trying to prepare for your breakfast." Taira huffed, pointing towards the pots that have been set within the kitchen table. Chiharu's eyes followed her finger, standing up from her position and continued what Taira is supposed to do.

"Mom, you know, you don't really have to do these things." She sighed, washing the vegetables onto the sink, preparing for their breakfast, "This is just my way to help you in your workload."

For a bit, Taira frowned to her sit; her hands clenching the hem of her clothes. She didn't like this way. It was supposed to be a mother's job to take good care of her daughter. It was supposed to be a mother's job to cook her daughter's breakfast, wake her up in the morning and wish her the best. But that wasn't the case, it was the other way around. Taira felt she's hopeless. Taira felt that she's a burden. And most of all she felt that…

 _She doesn't deserve to be a mother._

"Chiharu…" She called out to her weakly.

"Hm?" With a smile on her lips, she faced her mother while peeling the carrots within her grasps.

 _"Do you think… you're good without me?"_

The peeler dropped from her hands with a loud 'clunk' that resounded all over the room. Chiharu's smile turned into something horrifying, gazing onto her mother who is on her verge of crying, "W-What are y-you saying, Mom?!" She exclaimed, chewing her lip in complete distress.

 _Don't…_

"Because… I can't even do anything for you…" This time, Taira couldn't suppress her anguish about the things going all around her and let her tears stream down to her pale features. Cupping her palms to her face; not letting her daughter see her in this kind of state. Chiharu hurriedly placed the items in the kitchen table and jog towards her mother with wariness spreading to her chest, "Mom? What are you saying?!"

"I couldn't even be a good mother…" She hiccupped, "I couldn't even fulfil any simple duties a mother will do… A mother will cook her child's meal… But I couldn't even do it without getting attacked by my sickness. A mother will wish her daughter to have a good day in school… Instead, I will be heavily asleep within my paper works… A mother will take good care of her daughter but instead I let my daughter take good care of me…" She trailed for a bit, trying to stable out her breathing. Emotions swirled with the ice water circling the cold metal drain as streaks of fire burned his cheeks. Each new wave a hot trail of agony as slim, bare shoulders shook in each rake of emotion through his frame. And the next words she uttered completely crushed Chiharu into pieces, "Those simple things yet I couldn't even do anything…"

 _Don't… say that…_

She could only watch her mother break down to her; crying with a mix of desolated sobs onto each breath. Despite seeing Taira like this, she couldn't utter a single word, as if her throat is completely drenched and dry. She tried to reassure her mother that it's not what she meant. This is not what she wants to show her mother…

 _Dad… help…me…_

"Sorry for breaking down like that," Taira apologized, dusting herself as she stood up from the couch. Brushing off the tears from her eyes, she tried to smile to her fullest as she pats her daughter's head, "I got to prepare for work." With that being said, Taira head upstairs leaving Chiharu hanging.

"It's not what it looks like… I just want to…"

All she ever wanted is to see her mother smile again…

* * *

2:30PM

* * *

It's way past her school time. Actually, she didn't have any intention to go to school, not with the way her relationship is going with her mother. Currently, she's seating in front of Ryuuji's graveyard, hugging her knees as she buried her face onto it. Wearing her black sailor uniform, she really come across to the decision to be absent.

She didn't even contacted Katsuki about her whereabouts. Surely, he'll be really pissed about her hiding from him. The last thing that he doesn't want is to her being so coward in admitting her problems to him.

"Dad, what do I do?" She mumbled, sighing deeply to herself. Hearing the several notifications from her phone, she knew that it was Katsuki; bombarding her with several calls and threatening texts.

"Aragaki-san?"

She snapped out of her train of thoughts when a familiar calm voice called her out. Her eyes jolted onto the guy she's looking for a year already ever since the Cultural Festival. His trademark red and hair strands flashed to her twinkling eyes. On his hands is a bouquet of flowers, seemingly going to visit a certain graveyard as well. At the thought of seeing him once again left her lost in her own thoughts.

"Y-You're the nice person!" She exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

"Nice?" Shouto repeated, raising his eyebrow in pure confusion.

"Yes! Come and sit beside me for a while." She invited him. At first, he was a bit hesitant because she's sitting right in front of the graveyard that he's going to visit to and offer some flowers. But then again, it was always like this. He couldn't even say a single 'no' to her especially if she's smiling so endearing that makes him lost in thoughts.

"I've been searching for you for about a year." She told him.

"Search for me? Why?"

A grin made its way to her lips when he answered, "Because I've wanted to ask for your name! So, what's yours, by the way?"

 _Is it really alright?_ That's the question that swirled down to his thoughts when she asked him. His eyes glance over the grave, seemingly trying to plead some help from Ryuuji. Will she even like it if she ever knew about the person that caused her such grief? But a name won't hurt, won't it? He's also searching for her all this time.

"Todoroki… Shouto…"

"Todoroki?" She queried, pausing for a while. Where did she heard that name again? It was audibly familiar when she thinks of it. But oh well, she would want not to dwell over the memories right now as she has found the name of the nice person.

"Hey, Todoroki-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Can we be friends?"

In an instant, Shouto's world turned blur. His eyes widened by her sudden question as it felt his chest getting warm bit by bit. It was happiness that fuelled his emotions. But somehow, the happiness was replaced the guilt from his heart and it was too heart quenching for him. He hates this idea. Is it really alright? It was all because him that she was sitting right in front of her father's graveyard.

"Y-You don't want to?" She frowned to him, making his heart clenched by thought of seeing her sad. Every time he sees her crying or sad, somehow he'll have this drive to make her happy no matter how it takes.

"It's alright." He replied. Within those words, she felt her body moving at its own accord, wrapping her arms against him, burying her head against his chest; sobbing to his chest uncontrollably. At first, Shouto was shocked by the sudden change of emotion at one time she's happy and then in the next few seconds she'll cry her heart out.

"A-Aragaki-san?" He asked, surprised by the sudden act.

"Mom…"

"Huh?"

"Mom thinks that I am invalidating her efforts… I don't really intend to do that. I just want for her to smile… again…"

"I don't really know about an interaction within the family but," He lifts her head up from his chest, brushing away the tears from her eyes, "I think that you just have to make her realize that you love her because she's your mother, that's all." His heterochremia eyes reflected towards her purple orbs. Every time she look at those tantalizing eyes, she'll melt over his eyes and how beautiful it reflects to hers. With a large grin plastered to her lips, she replied, "Chiharu. Call me Chiharu, Sho-chan~"

The nickname 'Sho-chan' got him so worked up that he staggered backwards from his seat. It was his first time getting a nickname, and furthermore to the person he most least expected. Chiharu stood from her seat, dusting her skirt off, "Well then, I'm off. By the way, are you going to be a hero?"

"Yeah."

"You'll go to U.A?"

Upon hearing the school she wanted to go to, she smiled dearily to him, "I guess, we will be seeing each other in U.A! I'm off, Sho-chan~" She dashed off from him, leaving him so surprised by the sudden of turn of events. With the brand new information within him, he's glad that he'll be able to have lots of encounter with her. And he is also happy that he became friends with her. But then his gaze landed onto the graveyard beside him.

"Is it really alright, Ryuuji-san?"

* * *

3:00PM

* * *

Since she had enough time to drop by school, she decided to pick up Katsuki and Izuku, whom she knew that the explosive teen will never forgive her for ditching him. On the way towards their school, something caught her attention. Something burnt, dark— a notebook?— fall down from the second floor. Recognizing it as the Hero Analysis of Izuku, she hurriedly went to check their room.

She needs to clear her mind from the things that happened. She wanted her friends to relieve her and have some tad bits of fun before going home. Seeing her friend's face will only nestle her aching chest. Upon reaching the said floor, she heard some voices and recognized it as Katsuki and Izuku. A vibrant smile curved onto her plump lips, reaching towards the handle of the door. She's about to slid it open when she heard some interactions between the ash-blonde and the curly-green haired boy, seemingly serious about it. Eventually, the words from Katsuki left her speechless.

 **"If you wanna be a hero that badly, there's a quick way to do it. Believe thatyou'll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a last chance dive off the roof!"**

Something snapped inside of her. His words engraving itself in her mind, and it was something that could never be forgotten. Her eyes narrowed, her pupils dilating with unhidden ire, a scoff escaping her lips. He is basically telling Izuku to kill himself. Suddenly, her mind flashes back to the memory when she's a child. Seeing Ryuuji trying to kill himself off because of how society deemed him to be quirkless and useless in the face of this world. That scene was horrible if anyone would ask. And there's no right for anyone to just bring someone down just because they don't have the powers that the people longed for.

And Katsuki just claimed himself to be part of that 'society'.

So, that's how he is to Izuku when she's not looking. She gets it that he has some problems with him but he should not settle it in telling a person to commit suicide. Katsuki didn't know how it costs Izuku. It costs her friend everything. Yet, does this ash-blonde even know how to control his words? Honestly, the mood right now isn't getting her good at all.

She's utterly enraged.

On the other side of the door, Katsuki is about to reach for the handle of the door and slid it open when…

The door blasted off from its current place, sending it flying towards the corner of the classroom. The chairs and desks ascended and cluttered horrendously from its places, some even hovered outside of the window because of its impact. Glass shards dances through the wind because of the massive power coming from the one and only psychic girl. From the tattered doorstep revealed Chiharu's devouring purple eyes, piercing every people within the room. Her

Everybody in the room stiffened. Luckily, they braced themselves from the impact or else they'll be caught by her quite enraging demeanour. Katsuki did not expect to see her, nor did he expect for her to hear his words. He had been so pissed since this morning because of Chiharu's whereabouts that he became unaware of his surroundings. The explosive teen's minions shrieked from their places, exchanging glances and cries on how terrifying the petite lady is. The petrol-blue haired girl was deemed to be an innocent lady but it seems that title will be long gone for what she did.

Her features were blank and fiery, though she never showed any signs of creating any objects ascend and whack their heads onto. Instead, she marched over Izuku, ignoring the presence of her best friend and the other people within the room.

On the other hand, Midoriya Izuku could not breathe properly at all. This was something he wanted to avoid. It was something he hoped would never happen. She pulled him from his sitting position, dragging him onto his wrist, whispering, "Let's go Izuku," with a deadpan. Hearing that unusual voice, he knew something is up; she heard everything. Izuku didn't mind the abusive words from Katsuki at all. He'll continue to turn deaf, he'll continue to be strong because he'll hold onto the words that Chiharu uttered when they're kids. Although sometimes that fire that ignites that hope continued to deplete day by day because of the ash-blonde's words. He knew how Chiharu can be a monster when it comes to these things. That's why he tried to keep it a secret—for Chiharu and Katsuki.

Dragging Izuku from the room, Chiharu is about to step out of the room when Katsuki pull them apart with such force, making Izuku stumble from his force.

"What the fucking hell are you doing, Haru!?" He screamed, gripping tightly onto her wrist. But instead, he got no replies from the utterly silent girl. Her head is levelled down, lips pursued tightly.

"You're marching all over here when you haven't even called me about your whereabouts!? Then, you're going to side with this fuck up nerd here? This quirkless little mutt!?"

"…"

"Answer me, freaking bitch! You are always siding with Deku here when you haven't even tried to fight for me! You're playing favorites here, damn it!"

"…"

"Deku should just go to hell and di—" Katsuki wasn't able to continue his statement when her hand found its way towards his cheeks, emitting a loud 'clasp'. The slap was as loud as a clap and stung his face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Hurling away from his tight grasps, she exclaimed, "I don't need _you_ to be worrying about me, dumbass!"

Her slap left Katsuki staring at her with broadened eyes.

When she turned at last to face him there was no trace of tears, not in her eyes or in track marks on her reddening face. Her eyes were narrowed, rigid, cold, hard. In that moment He knew she was already far breath hitched to a stop, hearing those words—it's as if she didn't need him at all—being spat out like venom. His heart constricted in pain, glancing back, he saw her eyes becoming dull, becoming cold.

"How fucked up are you in the head that you think that resorting to suicide would make his life better?!" Her voice, low and cold, was heart breaking to hear. Izuku heard his heart thumping so loudly in his chest. It certainly brought back memories she would rather forget.

"You said you're different from the others! Yet, you're just one of them! Do you even know how…" Between her words is the memory of Ryuuji's depressed state when he was getting bailed at by the people around him. All the remorse flooded onto her heart. It hurts to know that the one who will turn back against her is one of her best friends?

She felt betrayed.

Suddenly, her eyes clouded by tears; the feeling of anger and fiery stirred onto her head. Everything just seemed to be off. This day is off. From Morning up to Afternoon, only arguments and hurtful words are present within her hands.

"How…" She trailed, "Dad…" She sobbed by the memory of her precious dad, of all the people…

Why Bakugou Katsuki?

Katsuki's rage depleted for a moment. Seeing Chiharu breaking down to him takes a turn to his stomach up to his chest. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Izuku wanted to say. But he was frozen. Stiff. He couldn't form any words at all. Izuku trembled. His two friends are fighting because of him. He wanted to tell her.

 _It's alright, Chi-chan. I don't want you two to fight._

 _You two are my friends._

 _Don't break our friendship._

 _Don't break that promise!_

"Haru…" Katsuki reached for her again but instead got the cold shoulder when snatches her wrist away from him.

"Don't you ever… Don't you ever touch me!" She shouted, glaring daggers to him, "You don't know what quirkless people have to live in… You don't know… You don't know because you're just a bloated ball of ego! You live reigning over the top that you stomp onto others!"

No. No! Izuku wanted to yell. Don't say that! He wanted to tell her. Everything will be resolved. It's alright. It's just the usual antics of Katsuki, that's all.

 _Don't fight!_

 _Chi-chan!_

 _Kacchan!_

 _Please!_

Katsuki felt silent, gritting his teeth furiously. In his situation, he knew that he really fucked up.

"Don't come near me again. I don't want to see you, **_Bakugou._** " Katsuki's breath hitched, hearing her call him by his last name made his world shutter. It was like some poison being spit out from her mouth. She never argued with her fists but her words packed a powerful punch. Carefully spoken, without drama, her words had an air of finality to them and no matter how hard he railed against them, nothing would change her mind.

Words flew from her mouth that she never thought she'd even think, let alone say out loud. She knew instantly from the look in his eyes that they'd hit their mark. In that instant their relationship shattered into glassy shards.

 _Nothing would ever be the same again._

With that, Izuku was dragged away by a pissed Chiharu. Izuku shivered, remembering the glare Katsuki was giving him.

 _It was_ his _fault._

 _It was his fault why Chi-chan and Kacchan were fighting._

 _It was because he existed._

 _It was because he's born._

 _He really was a good-for-nothing worthless, quirkless boy._

 ** _I shouldn't have been born._**

* * *

Author's Note:

I tried to update fast this time! Anyway, another dispute concerning Katsuki and Chiharu again. How will this turn out? Anyway, thank you for the feedbacks last time my dear readers. This just the start of our very own angst arc lol. Also, another appearance from our lil' Tododorki! Please comment down your thoughts!

Also, if I reach 100 followers in this account, I'll create a Twitter account to have a connection to you about this fanfic~ ((Will anyone even follow me omg)) Also, did anyone saw the similarities between Taira and Chiharu's naming taste? Hohohohoho.

In case you're confused, this happens before Shota learned about the incident. In order not to be so puzzled by the turn of events, please take note of the time! Thank you so much.


	15. Chapter 15: The beginning of the Hollow

Chapter 15: The Beginning of the Hollow Night

* * *

4:00 PM

* * *

Katsuki knew it, he screwed up… BIG TIME.

However, during his clash with Chiharu, she emitted her precious Dad's name and oh boy, he knew that he stepped on a landmine. He totally forgot that her father is quirkless as well. Because of their happenings, it stirred up a misunderstanding between them; viewing that he steps onto her father because he is stepping on Deku. His problems with Izuku stands alone.

The swirl of emotions within his chest made him confused and angry in his current situation. Every time he screws up with Izuku, she'll get mad about that. Although, he knew the reason, he can't help but built up hatred towards the freaking nerd.

First of all, the reason that he brought out his anger towards Izuku because of Chiharu's absence all throughout the day. He tried to pick her up but to no avail she's not in her home nor her mother. She didn't even went to school. Worst, she didn't even tried to contact him about her whereabouts. Those factors alone makes him pissed. For god's sake he has the right to worry about her, she was—is—his best friend, her freaking childhood friend. They've been together ever since they were born LITERALLY.

He is agitated that she chose the freaking dumbass over him. Katsuki is there for her always and all the time. But why does Chiharu always picks up the nerd's side? For goodness sake, she should be his ally! He wanted to shout at her; tell her everything.

 _Why take that fucking Deku's side? I am your friend—your freaking best friend—your goddamn childhood friend! We've been together for a decade for fuck's sake! Damn it!_

 ** _"Don't come near me again. I don't want to see you, Bakugou."_** Those words accurately caused an undeniable pain in his chest. Katsuki didn't like it. He didn't like any of this. He fucking hate the turn of events. He hated the words she uttered; just like venom spitting from her mouth. He hated the way she scowled at her.

Most importantly, he hated how the tears flowed that against her cheeks. Because he knew… he knew that because of him, because of his words, Chiharu showed up that kind of face—the face that he really hates the most.

 _Don't cry… Haru…_

"Aragaki can be strong but she chose that wimp's side—that's utterly disgusting!"

"I can't believe that she's a sore loser all this time."

"The innocent title for her is all gone… She should have the title of being a loser next to Deku."

For a while, his shoulders tensed when he heard Chiharu's name. They kept badmouthing her, insulting her. Every word dictates that she has no worth in the face of this whole world. He tried to endure those words. He tried to take a blind ear towards those hurtful words. Keeping his bloating anger in pace, his teeth gnashed onto the way things are going. What confuses him is the rage he is trying to cage? Why would he fight over her? Why would HE defend her? They're not friends anymore, right? She told him that he should not bother with her anymore and that she doesn't want to see him again.

But why… is he angry? They talked about her as if they knew everything about her. As if they knew what she went through, from the physical bullying onto her up to the point where her father died and was bullied because of her father's identity… Did they even know that?

"Honestly, her existence is a nuisance…"

"She should just die with her quirkless father. They are both losers, right Katsuki?"

A sudden flash of memory brought him back to the time wherein Chiharu is heavily bruised by some bullies, pleading for Katsuki's help.

 _"Kat…suki? Help me…" She called weakly, nearly fainting by the sudden appearance of her friend._

Before his minions could protest, his hands landed onto the uniform of the thin guy, whom he called an extra. The latter's face was contorted with horror, clawing onto Katsuki's arms as he pleaded mercy for his own life, "H-H-H… H-ey, Katsuki! W-W-What's w—"Great rage filled his bloody crimson eyes, piercing towards the eyes of the one being threatened. He tightened the grip to his collars, digging his nails towards it and emitting his quirk for a bit. They don't have the right to talk like shit to her. They don't have the right to treat her life as if it was rubbish and bullshit.

They don't know about Aragaki Chiharu.

They don't know anything about Haru.

"Don't you fucking dare mention a word about Haru, goddamn dimwits! You piece of shits, you don't know anything about her!" His shouted, his eyes poking daggers to them that if it is alive, it will certainy have pierced them to death.

"K-Katsuki, l-look!" The guy with the long fingers pointed at his back. Turning around, his eyes widened onto a horrific villain in front of him. It was a giant green sludge, appearing to them.

"An invisible cloak with a great quirk!"

* * *

4:30PM

* * *

Chiharu couldn't believe it. Izuku was attacked by the sludge villain then All Might barges in and saves him, and the next thing she knew is that they were both gone. She was separated from him. Frantic about her situation, she tried to search for her curly-haired everywhere.

For the next few minutes, her feet dragged her onto the ominous amount of crowd gathering in a certain alleyway. At first, she was utterly confused about the commotion. Slipping onto the people peering over a certain incident, finally, her eyes trailed onto the scene and saw something she really didn't expect.

From afar there's a sludge villain, engulfing Katsuki onto whole. It was the same villain who attacked Izuku, and the one who All Might managed to capture. What the hell happened? Why the hell is this freaking villain here? On the other side, there were a number of heroes standing a few meters away from the sludge.

They're not moving a single muscle at all, and continued to watch the scene as her freaking best friend gets swallowed by this villain. Aren't they heroes?! What the fucking hell are they doing?!

"... none of us has suitable quirk to face that thing. Neither can we get close because of those explosions." Something seemed to have snapped inside of her— ** _rage._** She had never felt this degree of anger before; aside from a few minutes ago. Her vision was consumed by red, her fingers digging into her palms and drawing out blood, and she was biting her lower lip; restraining herself from lashing out.

They had to save Katsuki.

They have to!

Right now!

So, why were they just standing there, only giving the citizens attention— help— and not her best friend?!

Suddenly, she remembers the words she uttered to the ash-blonde a while ago. The words that obviously hurt her best friend. The words that pierced her heart as well.

 ** _"Don't come near me again. I don't want to see you, Bakugou."_**

Is this the prize that she has to pay? The words that felt like a double-edge sword, that pierced onto their friendship were actually happening right now. Those words are out of anger, and she didn't expect it to have its effects right now.

'Be careful for what you wish for,' they say. And right now, she knew that she's regretting everything that she ever said. She regrets being consumed by anger. She regret hurting her best friend who only wishes the best to her.

 _Don't go!_

 _Don't leave me, Katsuki!_

 _Sorry!_

 _Sorry!_

 _Sorry for everything!_

Imagining walking into the path of UA without Katsuki by her side is sickening. She didn't want to lose anyone anymore. Someone help him! Please. Her eyes pleaded over the heroes but all she can see are the looks of dismay by these heroes. They can't save him!

Unexpectedly, she recollected her thoughts from the time when they're in Second Grade inside their own secret base.

 ** _He gazes upon her sparkling purple orbs, and added, "When we grow up, I'll build you a castle. Then we will dominate all over the world as a king and queen. So, never leave my side and be with me forever! We will be heroes! We will be number one!"_**

Then her eyes travelled onto Katsuki who is earnestly trying to fight the sludge off from engulfing his body. He is obviously not alright by the way he struggle from its grasps. And the next thing that happened really made him snap out of her thoughts. Katsuki looked at her with those fearful eyes, pleading and asking for help to anyone to get him away from this awful situation. As if those striking crimson eyes is telling her purple orbs.

 _"Help me… Haru…"_

Before anyone even knew it, her body moves at its own accord, slipping away from the crowd. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a familiar figure— who gives out the vibrant green—towards the monster just like her. She can't believe what she just did. With no plan in mind, she tried to process everything that is currently happening. Snapping her fingers together, she make it to the moment to make everything stop on their poses; stopping time to herself. Then as soon as the flow of time stopped, she need to make use of the ten seconds she has or else going beyond her limits will cause her to cough out blood and some great amount of nose bleeds.

Then, she touches Izuku, making him move within her time frame. At first, the curly-hair boy got surprised with the sudden time freeze then abruptly learns about her quirk.

"Izu-chan, you know what you've got to do—"The ten seconds flew like a gust of wind as she was reminded by her time limit. Blood continued to ooze out of her nose, signalling him that thinking about their strategy is long due. Nodding in agreement, Chiharu dispelled her quirk and both found themselves running towards their friend.

The heroes within the area as well as the civilians were utterly surprised by their sudden move. The both of them neared the monster at the same time, and Izuku threw his stuff towards the monster to catch his attention. When his stuffs were up onto the air, Chiharu tried to control it using her psychokinesis and propel it towards the sludge's eyes.

When they successfully distracted the villains, they quickly used the opportunity to do what they needed to do. She punched through the blob's body, her fists being engulfed with its thick substance body. "What the fuck are you doing here, Deku?! Are you trying to be a fucking hero?!"

"And you, what the fucking hell are you doing here as well, Haru!? Why?! Just why are you putting yourself in danger?! Just what the fuck was wrong with your head?! Get the fuck out of here, Haru!" Katsuki tried to sound convincing to her but failed when the fire that ignited within her eyes stayed the same. At the same time, light tears brushes to her eyes, pleading for him to be alive.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" She apologized countless times, clawing the villain's sticky body. His breath hitched when she sound so desperate in making it through this moment.

"I lied!" She continued, hiccupping, "I wanted to see you! I wanted you to worry for me! I wanted you to be by my side! I don't want to lose you! You're my precious best friend! Don't leave me!" She sobbed loudly, I want Katsuki to be with me because…" She trailed, trying to smile her brightest to him, "You're my king right?"

He inwardly cursed.

Why the fuck did she have to say those in this situation?!

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! He could hear his heart beating loudly like a drum.

This sounds wrong! He should be panicking about his situation yet he is taking a better look onto his chest; mindlessly beating for no reason.

And then, before they even knew it, a much larger hand grabbed him and when he blinked, it was raining.

* * *

6:00PM

* * *

Chiharu's walk was abrupt. She wanted to have a long good night rest for all the troubles that unfolds in her eyes. All Might saved them from the giant green sludge. After they were scolded at and getting their wounds treated, they were initially interviewed for a mean time. The cops questioned them questions that she found herself dozing off. After that commotion, she didn't meet up with Katsuki as she hurriedly went home. It was a tiring day for her physical body and her quenching chest. Plus, she is about to deal with her mother and clear every misunderstanding she did before her.

She's going to tell her mother how much she loves her right this very moment. Inserting the key onto the keyhole, she's surprised about the fact that it was open already. Whenever she goes home from school, her mother's not yet in the house and she's usually the first one to get in here.

An awful feeling spreads to her chest. Gulping in complete distress, she retreated the key from the hole and put it inside her pocket. A wary sigh escaped her, chewing her bottom lip cautiously. There's no thief in here, right? A murderer? Maybe, her mother got off from work too early? Or what? Slowly, she turned the knob to her door, opening it guardedly.

"M-Mom, I am ho—"

The next thing she saw send an impact onto her chest. Eventually, her world around her began to stop. Hesitantly, her eyes look at the horrifying scene unfolding to her line of sight. A large black humanoid monster is holding her mother by her neck, lifting her up in the air. His body is very muscular and has many scars on it. Beside him is a guy on a black hoodie, keeping up the hoodie up. Her mother coughed horrendously, glancing heavily to her presence.

"Chi… haru?"

She can feel the sweat drench onto her skin, the throbbing of her own eyes, the ringing screams vibrating in her ears, and the thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers are curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm. She can't hear her rapid breathing, but she can feel the oxygen flooding in and out of her lungs. The guy with a hoodie turned his attention towards her, revealing his pale skin and dry cracked lips. Meeting their eyes together, the man made a spine-chilling smile within his lips.

A heinous laugh echoes throughout the house, rebounding off the crumpling walls, and Chiharu crumple to the ground in fear. Just like the tunnel to her soul is too abandoned and then all fades to black. She couldn't believe what she sees right now. There's a villain attack to their house.

"Chi..haru…run…Hurry!" Taira tried her best to speak up despite the strong fingers wrapping onto her neck.

She needs to move.

She needs to contact any hero… Any hero to save them from this situation.

But she can't move any inch of her body; paralyzing it with fear.

 _Move!_

 _Move, damn it!_

 _Move your feet!_

 _Move your hands!_

 _Your mom is in danger!_

 _Goddamn it, Chiharu!_

The guy in its hoodie headed towards her, smiling indignantly to her as he extends his hands to her. With a soft mumble, he began to converse to Chiharu.

"Hey, girl. Your eyes tells me something."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Do you want to be a **_Nomu_**?"

"Eh?!" Chiharu shrieks on her current position. Her eyes widened and her mouth agape as the man with a black hoodie approaches her with a wide menacing smile across his lips. She's frozen stiff onto her position, her fingers trembling in fear. The guy extends his skinny pale hands to her face, bit by bit closing their distance together.

"Chiharu _run_!"

Chiharu bit her lip, furrowing her eyebrows in complete distress. A great amount of blood oozing to her nose, activating her quirk in a snap.

And the next thing that she knew that everything went _loose._

* * *

Author's Note:

Dun! Dun! Dun! Dun! It's the start of the 'Crime scene' scenario. Now, pull out your theories to what will happen next and I would love to read it! Also, I have reached 100+ followers in my profile! *Launches confetti* As I have promised, I will post my newly created twitter account. Please follow me, my dear followers~

EDIT: I'll explain Chiharu's quirk and how she have it. Chiharu inherited her quirk onto Taira's clan, basically, they're a group of psychics ((it was explained during the earlier chappies)) Chiharu has a time stopping quirk((well, I'll explain this in the latter chapters but oh well, she inherited it from her grandmother. I'll explain the clan further when the right chappies comes)) and the psychokinesis ((which she inherited from her mother)))

LINK: /SadisticAuthor ((I haven't posted anything yet LOL)

Thank you for everything! For the inspiring comments and chats with you. I hope that you'll continue to support the story by sharing your thoughts~ *Gotta go to school*


	16. Chapter 16: Welcome Home

Author's Note:

I forgot to add. About Chiharu's quirk, anything or anyone she touches with her hands can move within the time zone. Although, that will result to another reaction to her body as it has a limit. In case that I didn't mention, time is still frozen unless her body can handle it or she deactivate it. So, she can exceed more than ten seconds if she desires.

P.S I SUCK IN WRITING INTENSE SCENES SO PLS FORGIVE ME

* * *

Everything freezes, including the villain stretching out his hands to meet her face, the squirms of her mother from the horrendous grip of the muscular villain.

Time froze, _instantly._

She didn't realize that she had activated her quirk out of terror. Upon realizing the situation she's in, she took the chance to grab a nearby butcher's knife from the table counter and slice the villain's arm; preventing him from further choking her mother. But, it didn't get separated from his body easily. Ten seconds flew by incredibly fast and her body reacted to the time limit of her quirk. Bleeding from her nose, she tried to reach out and touch Taira.

At first, after having contact with her daughter, Taira was puzzled with the current zone she is in but snapped out of it afterwards when she saw her daughter bleeding from her nose and mouth. Eventually, she knew that she has to act on her own will and free herself from the grasps of this monster. Squirming and struggling with all her might, with the help of Chiharu's hard work in slashing its arm away, Taira was freed from its grasp.

Right at that moment, Chiharu coughed out blood from her mouth, deactivating her quirk—making the time flow in its original state. Everything _moved_ including the confused guy in the hoodie who seems to be at a loss from the sudden 'teleportation' of the student as well as the missing arm of the muscular man and the freed Taira.

Analyzing the situation, the guy in the hoodie concluded that the young lady "had" made time stop with her own hands. It was unbearable; she can't teleport in that great a speed to chop off his companion's arm. Nope, it is unfathomable for him. _Did she really made the time stop?_ It is possible. Grinning unbearably widely at the sequence of events, a sudden uncanny smile crept down to his lips—his 'sensei' will be happy to hear about this newfound quirk.

The muscular guy regenerated his limbs on a whim, making the two Aragaki's dumbfounded by the muscular villain. Then, their eyes met for a few seconds that immediately sent chills down Chiharu's spine. As his bony pale hands reach out for Chiharu, she can hear 'his' laugh, a cruel, cold cackle that froze her in place and drained all hope, dreams and feeling from within her, replacing them with a feeling of despair, hopelessness and most of all—fear. Just imagining that hand touching her choked the breath from her lungs and left her body heaving, desperately trying to rid her of all of this. Black mist swirled at the edges of her mind, drawing her into its open arms and salty tears spilled over onto her cheeks leaving a tight, hopeless feeling. _She can't move at all._

"Chiharu!" Taira screamed in terror, pushing her daughter aside. Instead of her daughter getting a touch his hand, it landed on Taira's elbow, making her skin dry and decay in an instant. Yelping in pain, she tried to shake her arms away from him; freeing herself in an instant. The pain throbs in her gut, it's deep and warm, but not in a nice way. It feels like someone has their hand in there and are squeezing her organs either gently or as hard as they can. A rush of adrenaline flowed through her veins as she hurriedly dragged her paralyzed daughter upstairs. As much as she wanted to sprint out of their predicament—she can't—with her declining health; her breathing is shallow and rigid. Every step feels like a bomb exploding in her innards. When they are at the last step of the staircase leading towards Chiharu's room, the villain catches up with them.

Unfortunately, with the guy's fast phase, his hand lands onto Taira's calf, yanking her away from her daughter. Instantly, her calf corroded. Landing face first on the steps of the stairs, blood began to trickle down onto her head; a small cut appearing on her forehead.

"Mom! W-Wait" she cried aloud, throwing herself forward with reckless abandon. Her lungs and heart were beating like crazy, but the air didn't seem to be enough as she sprinted forward, frantically trembling in her exhausted limbs. Taira rose her head from the steps, controlling a large cabinet using her psychokinesis to distract the 'decaying quirk' guy; colliding it with the man. And then, crawling towards Chiharu, she knew that in any moment the villains will keep up with them. So, mustering every tiny bit of her strength, she used her psychokinesis to make half of the second floor shake furiously. Suddenly, the lights swung violently from the ceiling. Cracks appeared from the ground beneath. Fear and panic ensued as the ground shook up and down as if the entire place suddenly fell from the sky and struck the earth with a mighty impact. Everything collapsed like it was made of string and sticks. The furniture tumbled onto the concrete floor. Pieces of wood collapsed down on top of them, smashing them further down. Every piece of furniture within the area fell completely—crumpling and collapsing it onto the first floor.

With the loud commotion, Chiharu didn't have the time to brace herself from the sudden outburst of her mother's quirk and flew away to the nearest wall.

As the whole second floor collapsed in a snap, so does Chiharu's consciousness.

* * *

Katsuki is utterly shocked by the atrocious scene unfolding before his eyes. On his way home from the police station, he came across half of the Aragaki residence collapsing right in front of his crimson eyes. And the first thing that comes into his mind is the girl who might be inside.

 _Haru!_

Dropping his school bag onto the floor, he hurriedly rushed towards the tree growing beside the house and climb onto its trunk bit by bit. As he swings onto each branch he encountered, he finally landed onto the window within the second floor and the next thing he saw is pure horror.

* * *

Chiharu woke up from her deep slumber upon hearing Katsuki calling out. She tried to refocus her line of vision and collect her thoughts in one place. Finally, when she snaps out of her state, she began to stand up to her seat and look around to find her mother.

"K-Katsuki, where's my mother?!"

Katsuki frowned, averting his gaze from her. Then, it hit her, Chiharu slowly looks behind her and saw something drastic. Taira sandwiched within the smashed pile of things; her mother is very pale and coughing vigorously.

The paralyzing hurt spread through her body like icy, liquid metal. She clenched her fists as she hesitantly took each step. She noticed her feet tremble. Her legs twitched, fighting the impulse to whirl around and sprint down that damp, shadowed corridor; her throat closed in threat of screaming.

Her brain had shut down. She was clammy and there was the glisten of a cold sweat. Her eyes were as wide as if someone was coming to deliver the fatal blow. Yet what she saw, no-one else could see. Trapped in her own psychosis, a living nightmare for one, tailor made by her own brain to play on her deepest fears.

Suddenly, a loud pumping sound of heavy fists trailed down onto the piles of furniture blocking their way towards the second floor. And Taira knew in an instant that she wouldn't make it out alive.

Looking at their grave situation right now, if Taira lets herself be a burden, then Chiharu won't be able to escape from the villain. Her foot is gravely injured due to the villain's work and she couldn't walk properly with her flesh falling off. Just to add insult to injury, half of her body was crushed under the piles of heavy blocks sandwiching her small frame. She couldn't feel any sensation from the lower half of her body.

"Chiharu, listen. You have to get out of here, _right now._ "

"No… No… No! Hang on, I-I'll get you out of here with my qui—"Chiharu couldn't activate her quirk to its fullest. Aside from using it in a wide scale of making things float, the impact that Taira made had damaged her head for a bit. Having esper-like quirks has its weaknesses, if her head is damaged then she won't have the ability to control things with her two quirks; it's all useless for a while.

Her head throbbed. The pain felt like someone had taken a knife to her skull. Her vision declining, blurring into bits as if the room is spiralling and creating stars within her line of vision. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed the pain to go away. The rest of the world became detached, all she could concentrate on was the pain rooted deep in her head.

"N-No, I don't want this. We're going to escape this _together_. No one is going to be left out, right? M-Mom… Answer me!" She grabbed her mother's shoulder, shaking it for a bit as if pleading for Taira to go with her. Instead, her mother frowned onto the situation, making Chiharu understand about their current predicament.

"I-I won't leave you, Mom! I love you, Mom! That's why…" She hiccupped, crying, "Don't leave…me…Please…"

"Sorry…Chiharu… Sorry…"

"For the last time Chiharu…" Taira hugged her daughter tightly, tears threatened to prickle her pale face; sobbing into her daughter's shoulders. There's a quiet pause between the two when she retreated her arms from her, placing her forehead gently towards her daughter; smiling earnestly, "Let me be a good mother to you…"

"Mom! No! Mom—I!"

"No!" A sudden memory struck her. It was her father and mother leaving her and she will be left alone in this world with no one beside her. Isn't it enough for this world to take his father? Is reality not satisfied and will also take her mother away? Why is the world cruel?

Why are there no heroes rescuing them?

Aren't they supposed to help people in need?

Why?

Why?

WHY?!

 **WHERE ARE THE FUCKING HEROES!?**

The silent weeping was worse than a tantrum or screaming. Her eyes welled up with the sadness she should not possess. The silence of her cry was eerie like she had been forced to learn how to do this. What would it take to mend a soul as damaged as that and who would bother try? The loud bang of the fists from the other side was getting closer, signalling that the ash-blonde should take the petite lady away from this predicament. As much as he wanted to help, he can't. He will only make things worse if he uses his quirk to help Taira out.

"Mom! Please! Help us! Help! Help! " With her wobbling legs, Chiharu tried to pour out her outmost strength in removing the things that collapsed to her mother but failed immediately. She tried anything to move it all off but the emotion that kept swelling within her chest got to her first; sobbing and weeping loudly as she was desperate to get out of this mess. Frustration pent up within her veins, everything becomes clouded with anger and desperation; she doesn't even notice her fingers bleeding from trying to hurl away the things that sandwich her mother.

Taira wanted to reassure her daughter that everything will be alright. Taira wanted to hug her daughter, to shower her with love and care. But unfortunately, this will be the last time that she'll ever see her again. "Katsuki-kun, take care of her, please."

Katsuki gritted his teeth in response. He doesn't want to see this kind of Chiharu, especially her loud pleas to her mother. But he has no choice, everything falls into place. Someone has to leave. And, he won't ever let her mother down—not like this. _He'll protect her with his own life._ He nodded in response. His hands extending to her petite figure, forcing her away from her mother's grasps carrying her onto his shoulders.

"Let go of me, Katsuki! Mom, I—I! Please, let go of me!" Chiharu squirmed desperately from his strong clutches around her hips. Waving both of her legs and slamming her fist to his back, she gazed frantically towards her injured mother. She'll do anything, absolutely anything, just to convince her mother to go with her.

"Leave your mother, Chiharu."

While she continued to struggle away from her friend, her eyes met with her mother's. A soft a smile escaped her mother's features, signaling that it's all done.

"I love you Chiharu."

"No! No! Mom!" Chiharu pleaded to someone, to All Might, to Eraserhead, to any hero, to anyone. Please rescue them from this nightmare but this happening isn't just a dream—it's reality. Katsuki propelled his way from the second floor, carrying Chiharu on his shoulders as he tried his best to outrun the villain and take her away from the situation. But the young lady continued to struggle, pleading and crying and fighting against his grasp, stretching her hands towards her mother.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

A sad smile escaped Taira's lips, still quivering and sobbing with all her might. She still wanted to spend time with her daughter. She still wanted to be a mother. She still wanted to see her precious daughter to become the best hero…

 _Sorry… Ryuuji…_

 _Sorry… Chiharu…_

Clenching her jaw tightly, she used all of her remaining strength to make everything collapse into pieces. And Chiharu witnessed the moment that the villains reached out for her mother, dragging her into the middle of nowhere and her house crumbling into ruins.

 _I don't want this…_

 _Mom…_

 _Dad…_

 _No!_

 _No!_

 _"_ MOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

* * *

 _"…Hello?"_

 _Taira slowly, ever so slowly, opened her eyes. She was greeted with white and blue colors. There was a prickling sensation around her body. She wasn't in the destroyed house but lying on the grass outside. Alarmed, her eyes immediately widened and she lifted her head to look around. She could now feel the lower half of her body—as if it was a miracle._

 _She was in a field, covered in white grass. The trees around had grey bark and white leaves, standing out against the bright blue sky. Tiny white leaves sailed across the sparkling blue lake._

 _Where was she?_

 _She sat up, and only then did she note her clothes. She was in a white dress that reached above her knees. The tall white grass tickled her bare legs._

 _"Ta…i…ra?" There's a sudden masculine voice from afar that called her name out, she tried to look for that source of the voice. Looking back, across the white grass, on the other side of the lake, there was a human figure. She felt like she forgot how to breathe. Because of the monochrome environment, his petrol-blue hair and bright turquoise eyes stood right out. His laid back smile made her heart flutter with joy._

 _"Ryuuji?" She blinked, not believing her eyes. "Ryuuji is that you?" Her voice cracked, as she stood up and tears started to swell up within her purple eyes._

 _He responded by blushing and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, lifting his other hand to wave back in a calmer manner._

 _"Yeah. It's me," he said shyly, chuckling a little. His voice wasn't all over the place anymore. His voice wasn't echoing in her head. His voice was coming from him now, not just eminating from the sky. He was in a white short-sleeved shirt and white pants that reached just above his knees._

 _Taira jumped in excitement, waving her arms wildly at him. "Ryuuji! I see you, Ryuuji!" She couldn't help it. He was right there. She'd never thought she'd actually see him. But there he was, standing on the other side of the lake. Had he been looking for her this whole time?_

 _He chuckled a little at her over the top happiness. "I'm happy to see you, too. Hold on, I'll get over there…" He studied the lake between them, looking at the sides to see how far the water stretched. For a second, she saw him wave his hands in front of him, panicking, telling her to hold on._

 _Ryuuji hurriedly took a few stepped into the water and held out his shaky arms._

 _"A-Ah, I've got you!" He was slightly panicking at the way he managed to hold her, his hands under her armpits, a sheepish smile formed across his lips "I… ah…"_

 _Her face was just as red. He was holding her up, their faces inches away. She could feel him trembling nervously. Not wanting to drop her, he hugged her to his chest and quickly stepped back before falling on his back. The sudden hug sent him falling backward, taking her with him._

 _"Ryuuji?"_

 _"Yeah, Taira?"_

 _"Sorry for not being a good wife and mother."_

 _"…I'm sorry?"_

 _"I'm never good enough. After you left, I neglected my duty as a mother to Chiharu. I couldn't even make her smile the same way she smiled with us back then. I couldn't even cook her favourite meals or escort her to her new school. Sorry for being a coward. Sorry for being this kind of woman. I really couldn't accept the fact that you had gone because inside me—I knew—every ounce of me screams for your presence."_

 _To her surprise, he laughs so hard he cries, and even though she's puzzled and flustered and embarrassed as hell, she doesn't let him go, not for a second, not ever again, now that they're finally together._

 _"What the hell is funny, punk?!"_

 _"Hate to be the one to break it to you, Taira, but you're the best girl that I met—the best wife and the best mother in this world. Everyone saw right through you from the beginning. Stressing yourself to work to provide her needs, trying to cook for her but eventually failed and cares for her well-being every single day. Why do you think Chiharu is trying to be too independent? Because you've been doing all these tasks even though she's a capable girl. You were so obvious it was almost adorable."_

 _"TAKE THAT BACK."_

 _"That you're obvious or that you're cute?"_

 _"BOTH."_

 _"Can't take back the truth."_

 _"Why you little—"_

 _He laughs, and she chases him, and they roll, over and over, in a field that's too green under a sky that's too blue, but it's okay because they're together and that's everything she's been waiting for._ _While he yelped in surprise, she laughed as they rolled down the hill together, white grass getting into their hair. He hugged her close to his chest protectively, and she only giggled louder. She gazed down at him. They both started blushing and giggling like little children._

 _"Ryuuji?"_

 _"Yeah, Taira?"_

 _"You know I missed you, right? I really missed you. I missed you this much."_

 _"I know, Taira. I missed you, too." A soft kiss, feather-light. Heaven. "Welcome home._ "

 _A single tear blended into her soft pink cheeks, "I'm home."_

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry I suck in writing intense scenes. So, well, I tried my best to write it in a good manner but I literally wanted to apologize if this ruins your imagination. Anyway, the Hollow Night is still long for our beloved Chiharu. THIS IS NOT THE END FOLKS; not with Katsui getting involved with the mess. Let's now witness on how they'll manage to survive the villain attack…

Or will they even survive? Fu fu fu fu fu

FOLLOW MY TWITTER FOR MORE UPDATES: SadisticAuthor

Please comment down your thoughts about the chapter! Thank you so much!


	17. Chapter 17: We'll be Heroes--Together

Chapter 17: We'll be Heroes-Together

* * *

 _"Geez, Ryuuji is so late." Taira stomped on the ground for the fifth time, grumbling under her breath. A cellphone in her hand, her fingers tapped on the screen to make another call for the umpteenth time to call her husband._

 _"It's alright mom! Parent's Day won't really start for a while!" Chiharu jumped on her two little feet, smiling adorably to her mother. If only Chiharu wasn't here, she would sure as hell beat her husband into a pulp._

 _"Chiharu, you're filled with too much energy, you know."_

 _"Because," The little girl giggled hugging her mother tightly, "I'm excited to introduce you and Dad to my classmates."_

 _"You're really cute!" Taira kneeled, matching her daughter's height then squishes her cheeks within her soft hands, giggling gently, "I am glad that you're my daughter, Chiharu."_

 _"Sorry, I'm late!"_

 _Both heads turned into the familiar guy running towards them, casually smiling with his nonchalant attitude. Taira puffed her cheeks, rolling her eyes in pure annoyance. Although Chiharu immediately hugged her father at once, his wife didn't feel like it._

 _"Well then, start explaining before I bust your skull." Taira threatened, glaring furiously at her husband._

 _But Ryuuji, as everyone knows, isn't afraid of his wife and ignored her life-threatening statement, "Got work to do~ Plus…" Ryuuji planted a light kiss on her wife's lips, then dragged his daughter inside hurriedly. "We've got to reserve some seats!"_

 _"You-! I-Idiot!" Taira blushed at him as she followed behind as well._

 _The program went smoothly as each child presented their parents in front of the whole classroom. Lots of cheers and giggled were heard from the children. And after several introductions, it was Chiharu's turn to speak. At first everyone doesn't seem to care, as they knew that Chiharu's dad is just a quirkless guy. Murmurs and gossips were heard all over the room. All of their menacing eyes were focused on her tiny body. From afar, Ryuuji felt a bit ashamed knowing he had caused his daughter's situation; frowning in response._

 _"Ahhhh, who cares if my husband freaking is a quirkless dude? He's not a villain, for goodness sake." Taira blurted out of nowhere, earning a snicker from Mitsuki._

 _"Well, those badmouths who speak ill of Ryuuji are the real villains. If you were truly a good person, you wouldn't gossip so much about an innocent guy!" Mitsuki shot back as well, grinning in response._

 _Ryuuji and Masaru smiled worriedly at their wives. Again, they're causing an uproar at a peaceful event. Although their outbursts resulted in Chiharu's eyes lightening up in determination to prove her classmates wrong. Tightening her grip on the piece of paper she was holding, she exhaled heavily and began to read._

 _"My mother is Aragaki Taira; she is a great mom. She cooks for me. She cares for me when I'm sick. And also, my mom is so so so beautiful. She works at a job where she draws things inside a house. She's the best mom that I ever have! So, I just want to say to my mom that when I grow up I'll be like you. I'll be a strong girl like you! They say that I take my appearance after her but that is not true. I think that I get it from both my dad and my mom._

 _…People always tell bad things about dad. They say he's quirkless. But I think dad isn't that bad at all. Everyone can be heroes, that's what a little boy told me back then. Dad is the best dad anyone could ever have._

 _That's why, Dad, you don't have to be sad when people tell you that you're weak. Because what they say doesn't matter, I love you, mom loves you and that's more than enough. Because to me, you don't have to be the strongest guy like All Might, you don't have to be cool as Eraserhead and you don't have to be as big and scary as Endeavor. Because a real hero is a guy that works for me, sings for me, cares for me, drops me off at school every day even when there's work, gives me cake when I'm sad and loves me and mom. That's a real hero. That's Aragaki Ryuuji and Aragaki Taira._

 _To Dad and Mom, I love you. Thank you for everything."_

 _With her closing statement, everyone clapped in glee including the Bakugou family and especially Ryuuji who was in tears after hearing her daughter's heartfelt letter for them. Taira could only smile dearly at her husband as she tries to offer him a handkerchief._

 _"You don't have to worry, Ryuuji. I love you for who you are…" She whispered into his ear and placed a small peck to his cheeks._

 _"Suck that fat-ass losers!" Mitsuki cheered, and everyone depleted for a moment and looked at her for a moment._

 _"M-Mitsuki! Language!"_

 _"Ack, sorry!"_

 _Chiharu runs towards her parents, embracing them with all her might as they did the same._

 _"We love you, Chiharu…"_

 _"I love you too, Mom and Dad…"_

 _This is the reality she wishes for…_

* * *

 ** _8:30PM_**

* * *

Chiharu's eyelids flutter open after that dream with her parents. Even though it seems like she's been unconscious for a long time, she could feel her whole body is still aching, sapping away her strength. Then, she looks around her surroundings—it was an abandoned construction site, filled with steel pipes ranging in size and unfinished structures.

The building site was enclosed by a wire mesh fence and on the outside were large advertisements for the luxury condominiums being built. She recognized this place as it was a few steps away from their house.

"Haru, are you awake?"

The sudden husky voice woke her up. Realizing that she's leaning on Katsuki shoulder, she weakly righted herself and sat up straight. Wrapped in his black coat, she tried to reassure Katsuki that she's fine but her lifeless, purple orbs contradict her words.

"You fainted a few moments ago…" He explained, brushing away the tears that had dried on her cheeks. A deep frown forms on her lips, as she remembers the moment her mother reached out for her. It sent a long pang into her heart. It really hurt, realizing that she's back in reality.

The reality where everyone is gone.

Katsuki chewed his lower lip. He hated the fact that he couldn't help her in times of trouble or when Chiharu cried while dreaming. It's painful to see her squirm in agony. It's painful for him that she's experiencing this unbearable pain. But most of all, he hated seeing Chiharu being so powerless, shocked and numb towards the world around her.

It's like a void. A dark void. A never ending dark void that consumes everything, and she's left feeling nothing. _Empty._ Nothing to fill her hollow soul that creeps in the shadows, away from any other human life. The emptiness is so consuming it cannot bear to pretend that everything is okay.

As much as she tried to hold it in, the pain came out like a waterfall in her throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without any sign of stopping. The muffled sobs wracked against her chest. The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds. The taste. The smell. Everything was gone.

 _Everyone is gone._

"I—ahh, I—Mom, Dad, I—help, I…" Chiharu couldn't formulate any words as rapid sobs and hiccups escaped her lips. At this point, she couldn't describe the emotion swirlling within her chest. Everything just happened in a blink of an eye and she wasn't prepared for anything—she wasn't prepared to be without her parents.

Katsuki snapped. Hurriedly, he pulled her to his chest where she stayed until her crying subsided. She sobbed into his chest unceasingly, hands clutching at his white sleeves. He held her in silence, rocking her slowly as her tears soaked his chest.

"We'll be the best heroes," he mumbled against her neck. "The two of us— ** _together_**." Then, he trailed off, continuing his statement which sent a gentle knock to her heart.

 ** _"I won't leave you, Haru."_**

Katsuki patted her head, trying to soothe her out, "I called the heroes already. Maybe, they are already there fighting the villains. So, rest assured, they will rescue Taira-san as soon as possible. We're safe…"

"Safe?" Suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere; a familiar voice that made Chiharu freeze up in her place, audibly shaking down into her core. Chiharu looked up and saw the villain that had caused such havoc to her a few minutes ago. They're at the top of the building, posing nonchalantly. It was the muscular monster and the guy with a hood with his eery smile plastered to his face.

"Are you really sure, Mister Bodyguard?"

She felt the panic begin to explode like a cluster of spark plugs in her abdomen. Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the last attack. Her breathing became more rapid and shallow. She tried to scream, but the inside of her throat had dried out from all the tears and a croak was all that issued from her mouth.

"Fuck, how did they—" Katsuki was about to activate his quirk when Chiharu grabbed a hold of his wrists. His crimson eyes jolted towards her and saw something drastic—the girl in front of him paralyzed in her pace, pleading with her eyes to him. If its skills that she's basing this off of, Katsuki would be dead meat as soon as he tries to fix the situation. And Chiharu would rather die than let someone leave again. Never… _again._

"K-Katsuki, you… I… run…" She tried to formulate the words with her lips, trying to sound helpful. Katsuki hated to admit it but she was right. At this moment, they need to run the hell out of there or else they'd be dead meat in no time. He held her hand, scowling at her and in an instant, Chiharu calmed down.

"I will protect you… I promise…" He breathed, and in a split second, he stood up onto his feet and dashed away from them; holding her hand tightly.

Tomura grinned evilly, placing his hands in his pocket, "Nomu, you know what to do." In an instant, the muscular guy jumped from the tallest building onto the ground; making the ground shake furiously as heavy cracks began to spread on the ground. The so-called "Nomu" sprinted in their direction with a huff, dangling itself on the steel bars and destroying them on purpose.

Tomura breathed, watching the duo run for their lives from the Nomu, "Anyway, let's see if this monster is capable…"

 _"_ ** _Let's kill two birds with one stone…"_**

Katsuki held her hand tightly, running over brick after brick, desperate to call for help. His lungs and heart were pumping, but the air didn't seem to be enough as he sprinted forward, trembling in panic.

Heart pounding, her panicked heartbeat like thunder in her ears, thighs burning, lungs on fire, praying not to trip. Adrenaline almost bursting through her skin, eyes wide with fear, screams locked in her throat.

 _He's coming._

 _That monster!_

 _Especially that guy!_

They can hear its heavy steps pounding on the asphalt; that monster's groans of excitement.

 _He's right behind me!_

She feels its fingers snatching her long petrol-blue hair, tangling and tugging; hurling her away from Katsuki's hand onto the unfinished steel pipes. Her head falls backwards.

"Haru! Damn it, fucking monster!" Katsuki activated his quirk in an instant, attempting to catch the villain off guard but failed when it sommersaulted towards him and threw him towards another pile of steel pipes.

The scream squeaks through her scorched throat. She tried to move her aching body, activating her psychokinesis, making bricks float into the air and towards the monster. As it hit the muscular man, it bought just enough time for her to run towards Katsuki; tugging him away. She ran through a maze of buildings and winding side streets as the sky began to rumble, and heavy rain bounced off the cobblestones.

Then suddenly, the ground started moving and the noise started to amplify the thunder. Knowing the deafening noise came from buildings collapsing seriously did not help the duo's panic levels. The concrete and the steel cables rained down on top of them, smashing down into the ground. Everything fell from their original positions and began tumbling towards Katsuki and Chiharu, most certainly large enough to crush the two poor students..

The petite girl had no time to react, as her wide frightened eyes watched the contents of the building came cannonballing straight for her. That's when Katsuki's adrenaline pushed him to throw himself towards her and brace her from the incoming impact. Everything came tumbling down in a split second as everything went black.

Piles of bricks and steel pipes collapsed onto them but it wasn't quite enough to crush them. She was somewhat aware of the bloody taste in her mouth but she couldn't figure out what it was. She could feel warm arms wrapped around her. But aside from that, she felt that she suffered a minor concussion from the fall; pain throbbing violently in her head. Chiharu tried to open up her heavy eyelids, and the first thing that she saw was Katsuki's bleeding face; probably from getting hit by the steel pipes.

"K-Katsuki… H-Hey…" She called out nearly starting to cry again.

The ash-blonde sighed heavily, panting and trying to stay focused on his surroundings as he lifted them up from the pile of rubbish. But then, when he was about to move a sudden jolt of pain resounded in his head. Traveling his eyes towards its source, he saw a part of his right foot awfully purple and bruised; probably fractured from all the debris.

"I'm alright… You should look at yourself first. You're freaking bleeding…" He tried to sound reassuring but failed as Chiharu shakily bit her teeth in frustration. Though, everything was looking bad—absolutely bad.

 _His fucking vision is failing him._

Then, they heard those horribly familiar massive footsteps approaching them. They felt those jolting vibrations again but this time it wasn't the unfinished toppling onto their heads. It was that big hell of a monster that was causing the ruckus. As much as he wanted to whack some sense into that damn monster, he couldn't because Chiharu was there. And bringing her to safety was his top priority. Then, his crimson eyes glanced all over the place and he realized that the entire construction site seemed to be hanging on a thread. One thing was for sure, they'll be dead if they don't hurry themselves up.

" **How to create a villain; Step one!** " Tomura energetically exclaimed, smiling eerily to the two people from afar, " **Break them, destroy their purpose, confidence, values; their dreams**." Tomura laughed, watching the scene unfold within his eyes.

"Katsuki… please…I… leave me…" She pleaded, but it just made Katsuki angrier. "Shut your fucking mouth, Haru! I will protect you and that's final! I even fucking promise your parents; I will do it and that's final."

She was limping, the gait that was smooth only this morning was now faltering and uneven. Her twintail was ragged, loose hair falling over her face that contorted with effort. On her feet were only socks and her eyes were just as they had been years ago when she found out her beloved father was no longer in this world.

He continued, raising himself unsteadily, "We're fucking going home, Haru!" He declared, in a snap. He tried to ignore the lingering pain in his foot but failed. His arm was also injured and he hated it. From his right elbow to his hand there was no more skin, only raw and weeping flesh in various shades of pink and red.

 _Damn, of all the times!_

Chiharu tried to control her breathing, nodding in response as they tried to run away as fast as they could. With all the falling cements, pipes, rocks above them, they did their best to dodge it with their fast reflexes. Although Katsuki is having a hard time with this mess, he tried his best to focus his attention on Chiharu; to protect her.

As they ran for the exit, Katsuki didn't notice a huge brick falling into his blind spot. Immediately, Chiharu realized what was happening, as if someone was rewinding a tape in slow motion. Her eyes looked from the falling building to him and back again. It was like time stopped, even though she's not using her quirk, everything flashed before her eyes.

 **"Step two: Take what they hold dear; so they would turn their back against the world, to have them resent the universe for stealing their wish when all they did was be good!"**

 _Everyone left her, for her sake._

 _This world is cruel._

 _No matter what she does…_

 _No matter how much she struggles._

 _No matter how she becomes the good girl everyone wants…_

 _Reality doesn't work that way…_

 _Life is…_

 _So.. cruel…_

" **Step three** : **Let them be betrayed by what they believed in!"**

Chiharu noticed that Katsuki was about to be hit by a huge, falling boulder; ready to crush him anytime. If that happens, he'll be gone. She'll lose another precious person. Izuku wouldn't want that. Mitsuki and Masaru wouldn't want that. The people around them wouldn't want that.

 _And I wouldn't want that to happen…_

She wants him to stay here. She wants to see those scowling crimson eyes glaring at her. She wants to see his angry retorts. She wants to see the three of them walk together towards the school building. She wanted to take the entrance examination together with them. She wants to see him to be a hero. She wants to see him dominate the hero rankings. She wants to see him become the number one hero!

 _I don't want to lose anyone… anymore!_

Chiharu doesn't even care how her body screams pain. She doesn't care if Katsuki would hate her for saving him.

 _I. do. not. CARE._

She did not want to see Katsuki leaving. She can't imagine that.

 _It's all because of me… I'm so selfish…_

 _Even if it's the last time… I want to see them all smiling together…_

Her body moved of its own accord. Everything happened as if the world was in slow motion. He looked shocked and concerned.

"Katsuki!" She screamed with all her might, running towards him as fast as he could. The ash-blonde couldn't keep his vision focused as everything became a blur. Then, suddenly, Chiharu pushed him away with all her strength, landing on her knees weakly.

The explosive teen rolled away from the danger zone. Upon hitting the ground, his blurred vision became stable again. As he propped himself up, he saw Chiharu struggling to crawl towards him. Then, his crimson eyes travelled towards the huge building tumbling towards her.

"Haru!" Once again, devastation consumed him. With his fractured foot, he tried to drag himself towards her extending hands. Chiharu did the same, but bit by bit, her strength left her. The petite lady tried to control the things around her using her quirk but failed as a scorching ache burned within her head; a concussion from overusing her quirk. Meanwhile, he tried to reach with his utmost strength, groaning in return. There's no way he'll watch her die. **_Not. In. Front. Of. Him._**

 ** _They will be heroes—together._**

When their hands only inches apart, Chiharu let a slight smile form on her lips, mumbling words to him which took him by surprise.

 _"Good bye, Kacchan."_

"Wait the fuck up, Haru!"

In a flash, gigantic debris and steel pipes collapsed on her; making a ballistic impact that forced him away from her. Smoke arises from the loud impact as everything calmed down, like a huge earthquake had come and gone in an instant. But in the midst of the chaos, there sat an ash-blonde motionless and in pure devastation as he watches everything fall into place.

* * *

8:45PM

* * *

"Are you kidding me?"

"H-Haru?"

"H-Hey… Answer me…"

Silence.

He sat motionless, unaware of the time that had just passed, staring into the abyss with no will to move. His shaky fingers finally came to a stop after running restlessly through his messed up hair. He bites down on his lip trying not to burst into tears. His heart still won't stop racing, as hot tears roll down his face. He saw his very dear best friend—his childhood friend—crushed in rubble, steel pipes and debris of the construction site. Underneath those heavy metals is her bright red blood flowing all over the ground.

 _It was her._

 _She's underneath those piles of metals._

 _It was her blood._

 _It was her blood that flows freely onto the solid cement._

 _It was Haru._

 _His best friend._

 _His childhood friend._

 _The girl who understand him the most._

 _The girl who only mattered to him._

 _It was Aragaki Chiharu._

He's losing his mind... He can feel it unravelling, the threads of every happy memory he could ever once recall, all but a disarray of strings scattered about his feet. His sharp knees dig into the earth as he slams his fist into the ground, his hands shaky and unsteady as they silently claw at the dirt. He opens his mouth, but not a sound comes out, his head violently quivering as if there is a drill making a hole in the back of his skull. His eyes see nothing; they have lost all sight of what is and what could have been. His mouth is open, an eternal silenced scream, and stained with the memory of the girl that he really cares for.

"AAAHHHHHHHH!" He screamed in devastation, clawing his nails down his dishevelled hair. In his intense silence he somehow screamed with his whole body. Eyes wide with horror, mouth rigid and open, his chalky face gaunt and immobile. His fists clenched with blanched knuckles and his nails digging deeply into the palms of his hand.

"HARUUUU!"

 **"They believed they'd become a hero..? Step four: Show them how impossible that is when they couldn't keep one single, precious, person safe."** He laughed maniacally, instructing the other villain beside him, "We got all we need. Let's go, Kurogiri, Nomu."

Because when it comes to death; everything is meaningless, hollow and frightening. It is the end; there's nothing after. That mere crushing truth; their sudden disappearance. Death is the one thing no one gets to prepare for. And when it comes; it takes everything with it.

 ** _The end of the hollow night._**

* * *

Author's Note:

I tried my best to make it sound so emotional because I suck in writing intense moments ++ fight scenes ++ emotional scenes to make this the best chapter since I really want to highlight this chapter for a turning point for everything. I tried to lighten up the mood by placing a backstory of the Aragaki family because I miss Ryuuji as well lol. Anyway, everyone is going crazy.

I think I love making the Aragakis suffer, am I really that sadistic enough? Anyway, please comment down your thoughts below! Oh, how I love seeing your comments! Please tell me your theories because I love reading all of it.

Soooo. Yepp, I tried LOL

Support my twitter account for more updates: /SadisticAuthor

Thank you so much for reading!


	18. Chapter 18: Of Bed of Floras and

Chapter 18: Of Bed of Floras and Kisses

* * *

8:45

* * *

Shota's entire world had become engulfed in distress. He couldn't even begin to describe how he was feeling. The frustration dwelling within him swelled through his whole body, as he tried to calm himself down. He couldn't snap- not now. There were still other issues to focus on. Right now, he has to focus on the bigger picture—where is Taira's daughter? There's no clue as to her whereabouts at all. When he was looking over the crime scene, somehow, he picked on some of the civilian's whispers.

 _"Hey something happened at that abandoned construction site!"_

 _"Really? What happened?"_

 _"There were heroes going there. I think there were two students trapped in there."_

 _"What school are they from?"_

 _"I don't know but, I think one of them's connected to the crime scene."_

He jolted out of his train of thought and focused his ears on their conversation. Chiharu popped up into his head. If the construction site's near the Aragaki residence, maybe, just maybe, Chiharu will be there as well. Without any hesitation, he bolted away as fast as his legs would carry him, pleading and praying that the young lady would be safe.

* * *

8:50

* * *

As soon as he arrived at the construction site, his eyes widened at the scene. The villain really did cause some havoc in this place. Everything is in chaos. Piles of steel pipes, bricks and cements were scattered all over the place. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. His fingers curled into a fist, as he grit his teeth in frustration. He tried his best to spot the familiar petrol-blue lady.

 _But there's no sign of her at all._

There were heroes, police officers and other officials surrounding the place. There was even a huge crane trying to lift up the rubbish piles. He took another step to search for Chiharu, but instead he found none other than a certain ash-blonde screaming and struggling to get out of the grasp of some pro heroes.

"Let go of me!" Katsuki tried to free himself from the arms of the heroes and ambulance personnel. There are tears pouring down his bruised cheeks as he tried his best to push away all the people hindering him. His fingers are tainted in bruises and blood, most likely from trying to lift the rubbish.

Katsuki gritted his teeth in frustration, "Haru! Haru Let go of me! Haru needs me!"

Shota jogs toward them, asking the Pro Heroes for more information, "Hey, who's this Haru?" Crossing his fingers behind his back that the person called 'Haru' isn't who he thinks it is.

One of the heroes answered, "This boy just keeps on screaming about this "Haru" girl, who apparently got crushed underneath those pipes."

"She's Aragaki Chiharu! Now, get her the fuck out of there!" He roared, gnashing his teeth with every syllable. As soon as Shota heard her name, everything seemed to come crashing down. Numbness returned to his heart, killing him a little inside. He couldn't hear Katsuki's cries, he couldn't smell or taste everything. Everything became pure, unfiltered rage. Although he wanted to rampage all over the place, he couldn't. Not here—not in front of this boy.

"You need to calm down." He tried to reassure the ash-blonde but failed when he shrugged his arm off.

"Shut the fuck up! Haru… Haru! Damn it, why can't I do anything at a time like this?" He cried in devastation, his strength leaving him the more he struggled.

He continued to focus on the crane and heroes lifting up the piles as his eyesight got dimmer and dimmer. Tears clouded his line of sight, pleading for her life. Then his vision began to blur, his whole environment slowly began swirling down. Dark dots appeared in his vision, like they were there the whole time. Sobbing heavily into the arms of the heroes, he tried his best to regain his composure, "Haru… Wait…" The words coming out from his mouth seems to die as soon as they came out.

This time, Shota felt a tiny squeeze within his heart as he witnessed Katsuki's plea to bring Chiharu back. Even though he had only just met him, he could tell exactly how hopeless he felt.

"Haru…I-"

Please! Haru!" He extended his shaky arm towards the place where he had seen Chiharu for the last time. "Wait…Haru… Don't… leave…."

 _Don't leave me alone!_

Just like that everything went blank.

* * *

 _"Wow, Katsuki, you're amazing!"_

 _Chiharu grinned ear-to-ear, leaning forward on her little legs to get a closer look. The young blonde in front of her was setting off small, contained explosions in the palm of his hands; trying to practice some new tricks to show to her._

 _"It's cool, right?" he gushed, unable to contain his own smile. "I will make an ultimate move that will leave you shaking in your boots!"_

 _She nodded. "Yep! It's awesome! You're the best, Katsuki!"_

 _He was used to receiving compliments from those around him; it was even something that he'd come to expect. But for some reason, whenever Chiharu was the one giving the compliment, it made his chest feel tight and his cheeks would flush bright red. Her smile was the prettiest thing he'd ever see, that much he was sure of._

 _"The teachers said that I'd be able to become an amazing hero with a Quirk like this," he huffed, placing his hands on his hips matter-of-factly. "I'll be even cooler than All Might one day, too!"_

 _Her smile never faltered, and she honestly believed his words were true. Katsuki was still grinning cheekily, but he faltered for a moment, starting to blush._

 _"Ah, but…I'll be the Number One hero, okay? And then you—" he pointed towards her with a shaky finger "—You'll be the Number Two hero. Almost as cool as me, but not exactly the same. That's still good though, right?"_

 _Her puffy little cheeks flushed, blown away by what he'd just told her. Katsuki almost never acknowledged others, and the fact that he thought she could be anywhere near as strong as him was an amazing feeling._

 _"Wow," she mumbled breathlessly. "Then, you go protect people then I'll go protect you."_

 _"H-Huh? You can't protect me!" he puffed out, unable to hide how flustered he was. "You are a hundred miles away from being able to protect me!"_

 _"…Oh. I'll do my best then anyway! To protect you!"_

 _"Geez, Haru! You can't! I am not so weak that YOU have to protect me!"_

 _Caught up in her excitement, she flung her tiny frame onto Katsuki's. He stiffened as her arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a hug, and she heard the little stammers of embarrassment he let out. He was definitely having a hard time processing her affection, but eventually his small arms fell loosely around her back as well._

 _"Not happening," he mumbled against her neck. "Because I'm the one protecting you."_

 _She pulled away only to grin back at him. "Okay!"_

 _"Hey, follow me for a bit," Katsuki said, gently grabbing her wrist. "I know a place near the forest that has a lot of flowers." His eyes flickered timidly across her. "You like flowers, right?"_

 _"Yup! I love them!"_

 _He smiled. "Okay, cool. Follow me, then!"_

 _Katsuki continued to lead her forward through the forest. At some point, he let go of her wrist and timidly intertwined his fingers with her own, which made her giggle in excitement. Chiharu didn't miss the heavy blush that lined his cheeks once again; it went all the way up to the tips of his ears. She chatted along happily and without much of a care, stopping only at Katsuki's signal._

 _"Look," he gestured, grinning back at her. "Lots of flowers here. You like them?"_

 _She nodded happily. "I do! They're all so pretty!"_

 _Without warning, she lets go of his hand to jump into the bed of vibrantly-colored flora. It was a sort of clearing in the middle of the forest, and there were all sorts of different flowers growing in erratic patches. Katsuki crouched down beside her and smirked._

 _"I told you," he bragged. "I knew where I could find a ton of them."_

 _He seemed to be getting giddy at the notion of her approval, or attention. It wasn't really something he needed to work for though, since she already thought the world of him._

 _"I know," she hummed. "I believed you, Katsuki. You're always showing me cool things, and that's why you're my best friend in the entire world!" She outstretched her arms for dramatic effect, and the blonde only flushed further at the gesture._

 _"…Cool," he mumbled, picking up a flower and running its petals through his fingers. "Yeah, cool. You're also…my best friend, too."_

 _She snuggled up closer to him, pressing her shoulders up against his while she happily admired the bed of flowers. Katsuki mumbled something to himself, eventually plucking a different flower and removing most of the stem—he then leaned in to tuck the flower behind her ear._

 _"That's for you," Katsuki blushed. "It looks pretty. And…you're also pretty. So I thought it made sense to give it to you."_

 _She was so happy that she almost didn't have any words to express it. Katsuki's bright, crimson eyes were gazing back at her, so full of the gentleness and adoration which he would almost never show to others. Chiharu's fingers absentmindedly passed by the flower tucked behind her ear, and she smiled again._

 _"You really think I'm pretty?"_

 _He stiffened. "D-duh. I wouldn't say it unless I meant it, right?"_

 _"That's true," she mumbled, timidly curling her fingers into her lap. "Thank you, Katsuki. And I think you're very pretty, too. Oh, wait—you're very handsome. That's what you say to boys that look good, right?"_

 _"Y-yeah. Thanks…"_

 _He looked a bit too flustered for words, and the two sat there for a while in silence. It wasn't unpleasant, or anything. As long as she's with Katsuki, she's happy even to just silently sit by his side._

 _"Katsuki… What if I don't become a hero?"_

 _Her question took him by surprise. For a while his lips quivered a bit and replied, "That's impossible. Haru will be a hero, that's final."_

 _She smiled brightly at his answer, changing the topic, "Hey, Katsuki. If you die and get to become something other than a human, what would it be?"_

 _"Idiot, there's no such thing. I won't die unless I become a hero—the number one hero! That same goes for you right?"_

 _She nodded happily, "Yeah," but then reverted back to the topic, "For me, if I die and become something I'll be a guardian angel!"_

 _"Guardian angel?" He asked in confusion; curious as to what she meant._

 _"So that…" She paused for a while then jumped over him in the bed of flowers. Caged within her tiny arms, Katsuki couldn't help but feel even more flustered. Although he struggled a little bit, he didn't deny how wonderful it was to have his vision completely filled with Haru's round face._

 _"A guardian angel can protect something she holds dear, right? Katsuki, you're someone I treasure and I want to be with you forever!"_

 _"You won't become one." He deadpanned, rising up from his position. His tinted red cheeks were gone and it's replaced with a dead serious look that he rarely pulls out. His hands extended to her soft cheeks, blushing for a bit, "You won't die. I'll protect you. That's the job of a hero, right? We won't be apart. We will be together forever."_

 _She lets out a squeal of joy and pulled him into another hug; this time, Katsuki readily squeezed her back. "It's a promise," Katsuki mumbled. "So, you won't leave me, right? We'll go to the same school, to the same agency and be together forever."_

 _"Okay, Katsuki. I won't leave you, that's a promise."_

* * *

 _I won't leave you…_

 _I won't…. leave… you…._

 _I won't…_

 _leave…._

Katsuki is welcomed from his dream with a disturbingly white ceiling. He can't really get a better look than that. Plus, his entire body is completely exhausted, leaving him without any strength at all. Slowly, he tried to lift his eyelids to take a good look at his surroundings. His arms are covered in bandages and stupid medical wires. By his side is the infamous heart monitor that he had only ever seen in movies.

Anyway, that settles it. He is in a fucking hospital.

"Ah, Katsuki. You're awake." Mitsuki greeted, smiling from ear to ear as her wariness about her son's health vanished for a moment. Masaru decided to call the doctor to check on Katsuki while Mitsuki end up staying beside him.

Katsuki's head was a mess. His memory is fuzzy and blurry that he couldn't think of what had put him in the hospital. Plus, he couldn't calculate whether he had been asleep for days or hours or whatever. Everything was unclear.

"You've been unconscious for a two days."

And then he remembers, Taira screaming, escaping from that horrible monster and…

 ** _"Good bye, Kacchan…"_**

As soon as the flash of Chiharu faded from his mind, he didn't hesitate and rose up from his bed; not minding how much that hurt. "Haru! Where the fuck is Haru!?" Scrambling out of his hospital bed, he tried his best to unhook all the medical wires and IV lines attached to him. On the other hand, Masaru came with the doctor hurriedly since the ash-blonde was trying to escape the hospital room.

"Katsuki, calm the fuck down!" Mitsuki shoved him into the bed, scowling at him. But the ash-blonde didn't exactly pay attention to his mother's look as he continued struggling to get out of bed. Some nurses tried to calm the raging teen down, as the Doctor ran around trying to check his status.

"Why the hell would I fucking calm down!? Tell me where the heck Haru is and I'll fucking stop!"

Eventually, the Doctor finished checking on the patient's situation, telling the couple that Katsuki was perfectly stable which made all of them breathe in relief. Upon hearing he was fine, eventually, the nurses pulled away from the ash-blonde and left the room, leaving only his parents. Katsuki propped up, groaning in response as he tried to calm himself down.

"I'll be honest with you, Katsuki." Mitsuki deadpanned, staring at him in all seriousness, and the next sentence that came from her lips was exactly what he was hoping not to hear.

"Chiharu-chan is in a critical condition." In an instant, everything left him. He stared into those cold crimson eyes in front of him, and he fell silent. As if stuck underwater, everything was slow and warbled as he tightened his grip on the mattress. Despite everything that happened, he should still be thankful that she's still alive, but the wariness in his heart refused to leave. This was not good.

If she's in a critical condition, there's a high chance that she won't…

 _No, don't think of those things Katsuki._

 _She'll survive._

 _She'll live._

 _She's strong._

 _She said she won't leave me._

His own words completely failed to reassure him. All of this was his fault. First of all, he couldn't even protect her—he failed—and he hated that. It's all his goddamn fault. He failed everyone including Chiharu's parents who he promised that he would protect their daughter. How could he become a hero if he couldn't save a single girl?

"Where is she?" His muffled voice—weak and tired—echoed throughout the room.

"In the emergency room. It's a miracle that she even survived. " Mitsuki answered, noticing that her son was not ready to hear that. Katsuki had done his best to control his emotions, even the tears that were about to pour down his cheeks. Just imagining the excruciating pain that she is experiencing; she could die in that room. It's hard to be positive since all he can see is the reality that at any moment the girl he cares about the most would leave this world forever.

Aragaki Chiharu had been a part of his life forever. She's the one who told him to pursue his dream to become a hero even if everyone tells him that he's better off as a villain. She's the only girl who never left him no matter how much of an asshole he could be.

But to think that she might… die? It's too much for him.

"Katsuki…" Masaru called out, eventually snapping him out of his thoughts. "You're crying…"

The moment he heard his father's statement; small beads of water burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down his face. He could feel the muscles of his chin tremble like a small child. It's all his goddamn fault! It's his fault! That one person who snatched away that smile is… _him._

He tried to brush off the tears sliding their way down his cheeks with his hands even though it ached to move them. He didn't want to appear weak. He isn't weak… He isn't…

Isn't he?

He IS weak.

 _You couldn't fucking protect her…_

 _And yet… you want to become one…_

 _A hero…?_

 _Fuck…_

 _You can't…_

"Fuck, fuck, fuck… I am not fucking crying…" He tried to deny it but it's pretty obvious he's falling apart. Cursing for the umpteenth time, he tried to push it all down but his emotions remained on the surface. He couldn't handle it

"You don't have to… deny it…" Mitsuki frowned, seeing her son falling apart was the saddest thing she had ever seen. Sure, she knew her son was basically just a ball of ego with legs, who tried to push everyone away.

"I am not fucking crying! And I am not denying it… Haru will… live…" He just broke down. The sadness had punched him in the gut, ripping through his muscles, bones, and guts. He pressed his forehead against his hands and let his heart yank in and out of his chest. It pulled back in. Over and over. In and out. He was hollow. His life crumbled in his fingertips. Then, suddenly, his parents were there, patting and rubbing his back. They reached into his hollowness.

"Don't fucking touch me. I'm not crying, losers."

"Right, right. She will. She's strong."

* * *

 _"Hero-san, hero-san, help me!" Chiharu's small frame squeaked underneath the white blanket, giggling from hearing Katsuki's rampaging footsteps across the tatami floors. Immediately, the door slid open, revealing Katsuki with a sort of hero costume that he made with his own hands._

 _Grinning happily, he walked towards the familiar figure under the white blanket and swiftly hurled it away from her._

 _"You found me, hero- san!" She cheered in happiness as Katsuki's grin grow larger but then snapped when he recalled her calling him 'hero-san', "I am not hero-san! I am King of Explosion Murder, remember that Haru!"_

 _"Yes, yes!"_

 _Suddenly, he swung her up into his little arms, wrapping one of his arms under her legs and the other one supporting her within her back. A soft chuckle escaped the little girl, draping both of her arms around his neck._

 _"W-What? Got a problem with this?" Katsuki stuttered for a bit, a blush covering his cheeks._

 _"Katsuki, you're like a prince." She commented, smiling brightly to him._

 _"I-I'm not, I-I am a hero, stu—" He wasn't able to continue his retort when Chiharu reached for his cheek, eventually, she inhaled sharply again and quickly pecked him on the cheek, making his whole world stop. His heart came to a halt. His breath caught in his throat. As the soft skin of her mouth left the side of his face, the exact spot where they had come into contact burned and tingled. A hot blazing fire pulsed through him. A small grin crept onto her face as his cheeks painted themselves rose red._

 _"W-W-W-What?!"_

 _"You said you'll be my king!" She puffed her cheeks out, making him blush even redder upon seeing her cute demeanour._

 _"I did say t-that! B-But, tha-tha—that's a f-f-fou—l! Stupid, idiot, moron!" He tried to retort back but failed when she placed another peck on his cheeks._

 _"Katsuki, you're cute!"_

 _"I-I-I-I'm not, stupid!"_

* * *

Katsuki stood in front of her hospital bed in silence as he observed her frail body covered in bandages. Her breathing isn't steady- the heart monitor makes that obvious. The girl is struggling to stay alive. She has been unconscious for a week already—yes he knows that because he visits her every day. But the more he visits her, the more guilty he feels.

Every time he visits her, he doesn't utter a single word. He just stands there in silence, observing the stationary body that Izuku looked at too. Katsuki was going to be discharged in a few days, but he didn't want to go home—not without Chiharu.

"Stand. Idiot. Moron. Dumbass. Stand up! Stand up." He deadpanned, scowling at her body. Somehow, those were his first words since he started visiting her. He tried to keep his cool; to avoid becoming an emotional train wreck again.

Silence.

He inhaled sharply, tightening his fist together, "What the fuck are you doing?! Punch me so hard that I'll have a bloody nose! Tell me that I am fucking dumbass! Tell me that I am a fucking an angry cursing machine! Haven't you said that... fuck…" He stopped for a while when he noticed his emotions swelling up inside him. That's why he had never spoken to her, because this was going to happen.

But, even though he noticed that, he continued, "You wouldn't leave this world until you get to be the greatest hero of all time, right? You're fucking strong, right?! Show me that you're strong enough! Show me that you're able to live! Come on, stupid girl! Everyone is fucking waiting for you! That fucking nerd is waiting for you! We're waiting you! Even I do... I am waiting for you!"

"Please..." He pleaded, "I still have so many things to tell you. I…. Haven't said anything yet! I haven't been honest towards you yet!

"Is there anything I can do? I don't want to lose you... If I can't use my quirk right now... when I need it the most... then what use is it? What the heck is it for? Open your eyes! I don't need anything else, but I don't want to lose you! I haven't even told you yet! I.. you.. I haven't said anything yet! Haru! Haru! I—I, why?!"

I... I still have to pay you the last part of my debt! Remember, I haven't taken you to that damn boring amusement bullshit yet. Damn, you almost killed me. I promise we will go there before next weekend, yeah, I'm not lying! I won't be a fucking prick about it and enjoy those boring stuff with you! I will do it! I promise! Also, I can delay the fucking training... I won't be mad, I'll fucking manage

... What do you think?"

It was as if the heart monitor heard his pleas.

All Katsuki could do was call out for her, tears matting his cheeks. He'd never before felt so completely and utterly powerless; not until the person he cares for so much was on the brink of death. His voice began to shake as he continued, hot tears continued to trickle down his features as he tried to brush it off vigorously with his uninjured arm, "Hey, Haru... I... promise... I will not be a fucking prick. I will seldom be a bitch towards that damn nerd. Hey, look at this. I am sorry. I am sorry for being such a damn asshole for being a damn bullshit for making you cry the last time... I promised... yet I can't... I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you many things! Hey, Haru. Do you know what I just remembered? I almost forgot! Remember that day when I promised to take you out for some fucking sweet paradise or shit. But I ruined it since I didn't go at all. You got fucking angry with me and you scolded me for that time. I brushed your fucking nags but I thought you'll get angrier but you just plastered a big smile on your face. A smile that I will never forget. That fucking blinding smile! Haru! Show me that fucking smile… again… please…"

Then, he found his knees digging onto the floor, hugging her frail body tightly. Katsuki resumed his statement as he hiccupped numerously,"Haru, come on... Your parents will hunt me .They entrusted you to me. Yet I can't... I can't even protect you. I am fucking weak. Instead you're the one who protected me. You fucking placed your trust to me. But I am a huge asshole, I ruined it... I can't even protect you... I can't... I hate it... hate it... I'm so sorry for ruining you trust...

Sorry, Haru…

I won't look at you again…

Sorry…"

* * *

Author's Note:

*The sadistic author is continuously typing for hours when she didn't even realized that it's over 8000k+ words so she has to cut down the whole scenario into chapters*

I know that I suck in making him in-character but all I want is to have a family fluff between Katsuki and his parents. And do you notice how I put Izuku and Inko's 'I am here!' scene but with Katsuki and Chiharu…

Yep, I love that part. Anyway, I tried to write Katsuki's emotion even though I can't hardly grasp any of it. Also, with the number of angst in my past few chapters I decided to put some fluff… Yep… I tried LOL.

Thank you for commenting with all the theories you had. But in all seriousness, I am still thinking whether to kill Chiharu off or not. Yes, I won't hesitate even she's a main character HAHAHAHAHAHA. I still have Plan A and Plan B but I think I'll stick with Plan A ((the normal one but it really isn't)) than Plan B ((the complex thing but I don't want to make it confusing))

Please write your comments!


	19. Chapter 19: Of Nightmares and Failures

Chapter 19: Of Nightmares and Failures

* * *

Katsuki forgot what a nightmare felt like.

He shot up in bed, clutching his shirt tightly. His head whirled around trying to see his surroundings the best he could in the dark before realizing he was in his room. Right. He had been sleeping. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, only making himself frustrated when he was unable to.

He was hot. Too hot, and it felt like someone was sitting on his chest. "Shit." He mumbled to himself. This was the third time this week that he had the same dream and had woken up feeling like he was going to die from lack of oxygen. He tried to take a deep breath, but it didn't exactly do anything. "I'm fine," Bakugou said to himself as he curled himself into a ball, rocking back and forth slightly. "I...I'm fine." He repeated.

A heart-caving, shivering feeling forks across his chest, as his eyes dart frantically at every shadow on the walls. His chest is heaving, flashing images of buried fears and forgotten realities pulsing along with his splitting headache.

 _Breathe, you fucking idiot, breathe._

But the more he berates himself, the more oxygen evades his lungs. This wasn't really supposed to happen, but it does happen for no reason. God knows what Katsuki would do to the person who found out his secret. That every detail about Chiharu has occupied every crevice of his mind. Like the way her eyes lit like star-fire or the way those plump cheeks flushed a rosy hue or the way she shattered his heavy facade. Everything. Everything about her.

He swallows, lips dry, and roof of his mouth thick like goo. Katsuki growls at his body's distress reaction, clenching and releasing his fists as he tries to get rid of the trembling. The screaming. The blood. The pain. Her smile. The screaming. The terror. The pain. Her smile. The screaming–her smile, her smile, her smile, Haru, Haru, Haru—"

He whispers her name like a mantra, like it's his religion, like it's a spell that would make all the pain disappear. Yet, the despair remains. The suffocation, the trembling and the cold sweat creeping down his neck continue to remind him of how he refused professional therapy. And now, a bitter regret coats his tongue like tar. The nightmares return as wraiths against his soul, slashing and tearing at all the emotions he's desperately sewn together.

Minutes pass, but he is still in the same situation. Fumbling around for his phone, he feels a sudden, unsettling determination. Her. Every cell in his body begins longing for her. To see her. She'll know. She'll know how to fix it. She can fix him.

Sifting through the contacts on his phone, he didn't even program any of his classmates' names. Only a few contacts appeared to his screen and as he scrolled passed to these contacts, he finally reaches hers—not shortened, not perturbed in any way, just simply and purely "Haru". Though still struggling to breathe, her name alone felt like butterflies were set loose in his chest. He grunts, a natural reflex, but in reality, he stopped fighting the denial long ago.

He pressed the call button, but the only thing that answers him is the service center's repetitive—"The number you have dialed is not available." He frowns deeply from the voice, sighing dejectedly. He needs her to stop this rummaging monster inside him now. He needs to see her smile, he needs to feel her hug, and he needs to see her.

Usually, Chiharu will come over from the veranda of her house upon receiving a call from him but this time that isn't the case. She didn't answer at all and there's no sign of the petite lady. Biting his lip in frustration, he decided to walk towards the window of his room and have a peek upon his said neighbor to scold her from ignoring his calls but stopped when the realization hit him like a truck.

The Aragaki residence is gone.

And so, all the memories abruptly flooded to his mind from that night where they struggled to run away from the villains up to the point where he left the hospital leaving Chiharu unconscious. It was all raw and sickening, at any moment another realization would strike him in the chest. His heart pounds, his breath shortened upon thinking of all these things. Then, he realized that Chiharu is on her fucking death bed.

She's not here to soothe out his panic attacks. She's not here to flash out that annoying bright smile. She's not here to hug him and blabber for the rest of the day.

 _Haru is not here._

"Fuck!" He whispered to himself through his teeth, turning around to step to the center of his room, kicking a nearby trashcan out of his way.

His expression turned from panic to anger.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" His voice got louder and louder as he realized that he now had to clean this whole mess up, earning him the sound of Mitsuki's angry thumping on his wall, reminding him to be quiet.

Anger boiled deep in his system, as hot as lava. It churned within, hungry for destruction, and he knows it's too much for him to handle. The pressure of this raging sea of anger would force him to say things he doesn't mean, or to express thoughts he had suppressed for weeks.

 _"What the fuck am I thinking!? Why am I calling Haru when I know that she's… fuck…"_ He thought to himself, crouching down to collect the garbage which now decorated almost his entire floor, back into the trash can.

 ** _"Good bye, Kacchan."_**

Chiharu's voice suddenly popped into his mind, making him narrow his red eyes as he recalled her expression while she said it.

He stopped what he was doing, staring at the messy floor before him.

The last thing he needed was to see her right now.

The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of her big purple eyes staring at him and her stupid rosy face and her dumb fucking hairdo and her annoying voice asking him if he's okay!

He crushed the crumpled paper in his hand until his quirk activated and turned it into ash, falling through his fingers back onto the floor before him.

He strained his vocals but nothing came out, still, he screamed, hoping someone would not hear him. Suddenly, his body was wracked with raw sobs and he shook like a leaf. Fright consumed every cell in his body, swelling them with terror. With every second he practically felt the rise of his blood pressure, but he knew that this was the least of his worries.

Katsuki cried as if his brain was being shredded from the inside. Emotional pain flowed out of his every pore. From his mouth came a cry from so raw that people won't even recognize him as the Bakugou Katsuki they knew. He grabbed onto a chair so that his violent shaking would not cause him to fall over and from his eyes came a thicker flow of tears than he had ever cried before. It was a pretty rare sight for him to break down like this.

" . Sorry. Sorry. "

His crimson eyes traveled to the Career form to be submitted to his school. Just taking a glimpse to that paper made him mad for several reasons. Going to UA? Don't make him laugh. He couldn't even do a single thing. He is fucking weak. And just like that, he decided on something—he wouldn't let himself be happy.

* * *

"Are you really sure, Bakugou? You have such talent and yet you're…" His adviser frowned over the career form in his hands as he glanced over the stressed-looking blonde right in front of him.

"I know you're stressed about the things that happened between you and Ara—"

"I don't fucking need your opinion." He shot back, glaring back to his teacher as he continued, "If I said I am not going to go to UA, I'm not and that's final." He left the Faculty room without listening to what his teacher is going to say.

Unbeknownst to him, Izuku was near the room as well and he heard all his decision as clear as day. Tightening his fist, he knew that he had to do something.

* * *

"Ka-Kacchan!" Izuku tried his best to muster up all of his courage, calling out to his friend. Just yelling out Katsuki's name made him tremble with fear for a bit since he knows that Katsuki isn't in the mood for a talk.

"Get lost." That's the only words that escaped from his mouth as he continued to walk without even bothering to face Izuku.

Izuku gave Katsuki a quick look. The guy looked terrible. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was flat in some places from where he had been obviously trying to keep his composure. It made the green-haired guy startled for a while since it was his first time to see the explosive teen turn out to be like this.

Even if their relationship was like cats and dogs, he still wanted to help him as much as possible. Gathering all of his pent-up courage and determination to go against Katsuki, he tried to come out first with a subtle approach, "I think you should go and take the day off. Chi-chan won't like that if she heard that you're ruining your health."

"Well then, who fucking cares about your opinion, nerd? You're not Haru and I am not fucking tired. Scram or I'll turn you to ashes." Katsuki blatantly shoved away all of Izuku's worries about him and continued to walk without batting an eye at him.

"A-Are y-you running away, Kacchan?!" He screamed with all his might. His threatening statement made Katsuki shift his attention towards him in fury, cursing in response, "What the fuck do you even need, piece of shit?!"

"I heard… I heard that you're retracting your form enrolling in UA. Why!?" He asked, trying to sound brave enough to shake the information out from his childhood friend.

"That's none of your fucking business! Now get off me or I will fucking rip you to—"

"That's not what we promised together during the cultural festival! Do you want to ruin that promise just because you…"

"What? Failed? Spit it out you shitty bastard! Be fucking honest!"

"She'll be discharged in any moment! Think of the bri—"

"Don't make me laugh, bastard. Are you telling me to fucking grab the opportunity while she is lying there on her death bed?! You don't fucking know a single thing! I don't fucking deserve to be a hero!"

"When did you become like this, Kacchan!? That doesn't mean that you'll stop becoming something that you really want to! Chi-chan wouldn't like that! Why don't you trust her and wait for her to come back?!"

"Don't you fucking dare be worried about me, jerk!" Instantly, Katsuki landed a fist on him, causing him to fly away from his position. Izuku landed in some bushes. He wasn't thinking when he let out his boiling antipathy and swung his tight fist, too quick and too potent, into Izuku's jaw; the impact like thousands of venomous blades piercing apart his clammed fist. But instead, Katsuki doesn't feel anger for some reason—he felt guilty. Sadness crippled and squished its way towards his heart as he couldn't process anything at all.

The tingling pain in his cheek was present but it didn't stop him from making the ash-blonde spill everything. Eventually, Izuku stood up, legs wobbly from the turn of events. He was usually afraid of confronting Katsuki but that wasn't the case this time. The issue here isn't about their dispute; it's all about Chiharu. The green-haired guy got a message from Mitsuki and Masaru that the explosive teen was in his own predicament right now—a mental illness from all these things.

Katsuki refused to see an expert, believing that he could handle it all on his own. And so just like that, Izuku wanted to help even if it meant enduring more punches.

 _What would Chi-chan do in this situation?_

The ash-blonde walked towards him and was about to pounce another fist on him when Izuku yelped, "Did Chi-chan even asked you to do this!?" Upon hearing those words, Katsuki got distracted. His crimson eyes scowled deeply onto Izuku as he continued his words, "Chi-chan… Chi-chan never asked you to do these things for her sake! She never asked you to become a stranger! She never asked you to withdraw your application in UA! She didn't ask for cutting your ties with her when she wakes up! Kacchan, everyone left for her sake! Why will you even leave!?" He added, glancing over him to see his reaction.

But instead of giving Katsuki another hope and realization, he was surprised from the ash-blonde's desperate look carved within his face. One thing is for sure when he saw him, this wasn't the childhood friend he knew. It's rare to see him show so much weakness to others.

Izuku is shocked, making his mouth agape from surprise. From his eyes, he could only see a vulnerable teen who is desperately wanted Chiharu to come back.

"Because she doesn't fucking deserve this shit!" Katsuki argued back, "Why am I the reason of all these things? Why am I the reason that she's in that shitty hospital, sleeping and goddamn knows when and will she even wake up!?"

He wanted to scream and shout. He wanted to release all these bottled up emotions within him. Katsuki had always been so self-conscious when he cried but now he just gave way to the enormity of his grief. He sobbed into his hands and the tears dripped between his fingers, raining down onto the parched soil. His breathing was ragged, gasping for air.

Then he yelled while desolated tears continued to ooze out from his eyes, "I couldn't save her! I couldn't save her from that fucking villain! It's because I am weak! I stole her future to become a hero! The one person I was supposed to be able to protect by my side, and I still couldn't do it…I'm a failure! I failed!"

"Kacchan... You don't—"

"Don't fucking try to ease out things. Hero? Are you trying to make me laugh? Deku, can I even be a fucking hero when the reason I want to be a fucking number one hero is gone? When I took everything from her…" Wiping away the tears as well as the exhaustion of explaining all these things, he tried to steady his breathing. Again, that monster is trying to make its ways towards him—choking and killing him.

"It's not yet late, Ka—" Izuku tried to reach for him but Katsuki shove away his arm.

"Get off me… My decision won't change. I won't become a hero nor appear by her side ever again." With that heavy declaration, he left the green-haired guy alone. Izuku couldn't help but feel that he failed again. They're friends—the three of them.

But somehow, why can't he help these precious people by his side?

"Do you think you're alone in facing this situation?" Izuku murmured, tears began to spill out his eyes as well.

* * *

Mitsuki sat at Chiharu's beside, observing her pale features. Chiharu got thinner and paler ever since that day. Somehow, it stresses her to find out everything that happened between her son and the Aragaki family. She even has to take a leave from her job just to take a good look at Chiharu especially Katsuki who is a bit problematic because of their current situation.

Sighing deeply, a small smile escaped from her lips as she tried to talk to the petite lady, "Chiharu-chan, you have to wake up very soon. Katsuki is… getting to be a bit of a pain of the ass you know?" A giggle escaped from her lips, continuing, "When you come back, I have a favor to ask you."

"He can't stand the way things are going. Every night, I can see him crying with all his might and then rampaging all over the place. When you see him, you won't even recognize him as he was really stressed out. I think that he even developed a mental illness because of things. But that idiot refuse to go to an expert at all. He even gave up everything right now. So please, tell him… to become a hero…"

"Roger that… Mitsuki-san…"

The sudden familiar voice snapped Mitsuki out of her monologue, jolting her eyes towards the source of the voice, only to find out that it was Chiharu's meek voice. A weak smile is plastered within her lips, trying her best to take a vivid look towards her.

Mitsuki stood up from her seat, smiling brightly as she declared and walked off, "Chiharu-chan is awake! Doctor!"

When Mitsuki left her to call the doctors, Chiharu tried to shift her attention to the window beside her that shows a clear bright sky. Judging from what she faintly heard, rather she only heard the last part, it saddens her that she knew that the older Bakugou is referring to Katsuki. Even if she's in an unconscious phase, she could hear it; she could hear someone crying all out loud—screaming for her to be back. It was the voice of that certain someone that she cherishes. He is brawling every night and it just hurts her to see him like that. It was as if she just had an astral projection, looking and observing him day and night. She didn't know if it's just an imagination or what but she felt like she just saw Katsuki and Izuku argue for a moment all because of her. She wanted to extend her arms to him and wrapped him firmly; telling him that everything is alright because 'Haru' is here. He won't suffer anymore. Everything is alright.

"Katsuki…" She weakly called out, her eyes travelling all over the unfamiliar white ceiling as a single tear trickle down to her cheeks.

"Don't cry…"

* * *

Author's Note:

Beep! Beep! I know it's late—literally late for weeks-but here I am! Exams are coming into my doorstep so I expect that there will be times that I'll be late. Also, thank you for everyone who commented here even though I just read them since yep, I got busy. So judging from your comments, I got a nickname which is being a Sadistic Author LOLOLOLOL.

Anyway, feel free to comment about your thoughts. I tried to hint that mental illness that Katsuki has for this chapter. And yep, I decided to keep Chiharu! Hooraaayyy, so gotta progress on Plan A! Thank you for supporting!


	20. Chapter 20: Reality that She Hates

Chapter 20: Reality That She Hates

* * *

"I've been asleep for 6 months?"

"That's right. So you've got to replenish your nutrients by eating lots of food." Mitsuki energetically smiled at her, gently pushing the spoon towards Chiharu's pale lips.

While chewing the food, she began to wander all around the room and think about the things that had happened recently. With a faint smile, she asked the older Bakugou beside her, "Uhh. Mitsuki-san, is Katsuki doing ok? When will he visit me? I miss him so much!"

For a while, Mitsuki paused, pondering on how to answer. Just seeing the petrol-blue haired girl enthusiastically imagining Katsuki visiting her caused a slight pang within her chest. While Chiharu was looking forward to meeting up with her son, she's afraid that she won't ever see her son. As much as he wanted to drag him to her, she can't; not with his current situation.

"Listen, Chiharu-chan. I have something to tell you." She has no choice but to tell the young lad the truth, right?

"Go on, Mitsuki-san."

"The truth is—"

"Bakugou-san, I've brought flowers for Chi-cha—"As soon as Izuku stepped inside the room to greet Mitsuki, his green eyes met the purple orbs that he missed so much. Gaping his mouth wide, the bouquet of flowers fell to the floor with a slight thud. Tears immediately formed within his eyes. He bites his lower lip, trying to hold the tears that threatened to leave his eyes. But he couldn't, as an emotional soup was suddenly dumped on his head.

"Ahh, Izu-chan. I missed you so—"Chiharu couldn't even finish her sentence when Izuku sprinted into the room and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her. His embrace was warm, glad that the girl awake in front of him was indeed a reality.

"Chi-chan… I missed... you… I—" Izuku whispered into her ear, wrecking out a sob from his lips as he tightened his grip to her. Upon hearing his cry, Chiharu began to feel emotional. Before she knew it, she was hugging him tightly, her tears dripping from her cheeks on to his uniform. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seeming a little less bleak. She missed her friends so much all the dreams she had of seeing thme again were coming true.

On the other hand, Mitsuki, with a comforting smile on her face, left the two of them to their own business. Upon watching the two of them having their reunion, she thought that she needed to drag someone else's ass in there as well. Because that's what his son needed the most—her.

As for the two, they stayed into that position for a while. Just as the stillness of the room began to stifle every fiber of their being, Izuku croaked, trying his best to cover up his subtle hiccups, "Everyone says that you'll eventually die… and that you won't last long. But, I don't want to believe that because I believe that you'll come back because you're strong. Even though everyone left, I won't leave you since we're friends, right? Friends help one another."

Chiharu smiled, pulling back from the hug, "Izu-chan, thank you for believing in me." She poked Izuku's nose and held him close, brushing a strand of green hair away from his face. He sniffed and at on the chair beside her.

He replaced his heavy sobs with a bright smile to welcome her back to reality. "I have lots of things to tell you!"

Chiharu nodded happily while Izuku enthusiastically explained everything that went by while she was asleep. Starting from the time when he gathered all of his courage to pass his forms to UA which earned a surprising hefty grin from Chiharu, a surprising 'quirk' that springs out of him making him a bit shock, his training regimen that she eagerly noticed, the way he balances his studies and training and many more. Izuku looked excited when he tells her about his journey, making her quite hooked onto his story.

"Alright, I have to do my best! I have to heal then train my quirk so that I can catch up with you two!" Chiharu, with complete determination, cheered with a small across herself which made Izuku completely confused, "Two?"

"Of course, with Katsuki! He also applied to UA, right?" She asked, with a beam of excitement written within her forehead. And just like that, his enthusiasm went down, frowning in response. The jovial petrol-blue lad in front of her noticed how his lips curved downwards, making herself stop from all the fuss. All the eagerness within her are replaced with a quite serious look.

"Kacchan… He'll app—"

"Tell me the truth." She interrupted him, her striking eyes darted its direction towards him. It made Izuku immobilize. This is different from the usual Chiharu that he knew off. It felt like her eyes are controlling him to spill out everything aside from the information about himself.

"Kacchan decided not to apply to UA." He spilled everything, which makes him further sad. He wanted his talk with Chiharu smooth and happy since she just woke up. But then, it made the atmosphere heavier than usual. "He won't become a hero anymore, he said."

"Is it because of me?"

He nodded.

"He doesn't need to worry! I will become a hero with him! After taking some treatment and healing for weeks, I'll be happy to train with him!"

"Chi-chan, about your condition, you—"

"I also have to tell mom about it! She'll be happy to see me training using my quirk and become a hero. All I have to do is to make her sign the application form and that's it!"

"Chi-chan—"

"Speaking of which, where's mom?"

"Chi-chan!" Izuku yelped, frowning in distress. He doesn't want to lie anymore. He'll tell her everything. She deserved to know the truth. She has to.

"Your mom… Your mom has been missing ever since that incident. Sorry for opening this news when you've just woke up." Izuku took a peek towards her and made him shocked.

Suddenly, her eyes have frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. She couldn't hear anything except the rapid beating of her heart and the words that her friend uttered. Her mom is missing for months and there's no guarantee that she's alive. All of a sudden, her throat became parched, of course, if she could hug Izuku—if this is reality, then surely, everything that happened from that night is reality.

 _I could have just died alongside with mom and dad._

 _Because I have no one._

"Chi-chan, are you al—"

"I-I'm alright! I just spaced out for a bit!" Snapping away from her deep thoughts, she tried to sound cheerful in front of her friend by clasping both of her hands together. Although, she tried to shrug away those negative thoughts, she can't. Currently, she wants to be alone or else she'll break and she doesn't want to spoil the atmosphere. She needs to find an excuse to make Izuku leave.

"Ah, by the way, Izu-chan, don't you have homework to do? Sorry for stealing your time when you're supposed to be at home doing your homework and stuff." Changing the topic, she clasps her hands together and stole a glance to the window outside. The sky is currently flashing the color hue, signifying that it will be night time in any moment. Thus, finding an excuse.

Izuku felt unease with his current situation, asking her, "A-Are you okay, Chi-chan? A-Are you—"

She snap back, preventing him from retorting any further, "Don't worry, I'm alright! Well, you can pay me a visit tomorrow so for now do your best!"

He noticed it, right away. The way her purple orbs seemed to be lifeless and it turns out that she wanted to be alone. "Y-Yeah. I-I have a lot of things to do!" He lied.

 _Of course, there's no homework today, that's why I stopped by early._

If it takes for a single lie to make her feel better then he'll do it. After all, Chiharu needs Katsuki more than him, that's always been the case, right? He is no match when it comes to him.

"Sorry, Izuku, if I sound like—"

"I'll bring chocolates tomorrow. Chi-chan, if you need anything, be it food or stuff or just someone to listen. I am here. You're not the only one who is suffering. We're all in this together." A sad smile escaped his lips, slinging the bag within his shoulders and walked towards the door to give her an ample amount of time alone.

"Izu-chan… You…You won't leave me right?" She asked, a rather confusing question.

At first he is taken aback from her question but chose to answer it earnestly, "Yeah, I won't. See you tomorrow." That's when he left her alone, in that room. When the door hit a slight pang towards the doorframe, she began to stare into her knuckles, tightening the mattress of her bed. Biting her lip in pure frustration, unexpectedly, her vision became a bit blurry.

A single tear slid down from her warm, purple eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flowed its way down her pale cheek, releasing the sadness and sorrow that has been held inside of her for all this time but still she did not make a sound. She let out a heart wrenching wail. Chiharu cried like there was too much raw pain inside her to be contained. She cried like her spirit needed to break loose from her skin, desperate to release an elemental rage on the world.

Everyone is gone; her mother, her father. She wanted to be the same strong girl with a dazzling smile across her lips. But then again, she couldn't be, not when she is just too broken. It seems like the world hated her and took away everything to her.

 _Isn't it alright for you to never wake up?_

"Mom! Dad! Please!" She pleaded with all her might hopefully anyone will hear her prayers.

 _"Don't leave me…alone…"_

* * *

On the other side of the door, Izuku heard everything loud and clear—all of her pleas, desolated sobs and hysterical cries. Somehow, it made a hit to his heart, because the way she acted tells him that he's utterly useless.

Even though, ever since that incident when Katsuki and Chiharu got hospitalized he felt like responsible as well because he's not there to help out when in those few moments they are fighting the sludge villain. He is completely disappointed of himself because he couldn't even save the both of them when they needed the most.

He felt completely helpless and useless.

So, he tried to be more capable enough to stay positive with all the current situation he is in. Although, people mock him for believing that Chiharu will wake up and that he is clinging into that dim ray of hope. He is known for being such a negative brat—useless without his dear Chiharu—but he managed to stay strong because she is fighting as well.

Every day, without a miss, he visited her—covering the room with different kinds of flowers and cute things which he knew that she will like when she wakes up. He wanted to greet her with a smile because things have been tough for her recently.

Because she needed someone that won't leave her…

And he'll be that someone.

When Katsuki is diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he felt the need to rescue him away from those monsters eating him alive. So, he tried, even if he is scared of him, he'll help him because he is his friend. Chiharu won't be happy when they see their friendship tangled like spider webs.

He just wanted to accomplish the wish that they made under the starry sky. He just wanted to help.

But the ash-blonde completely rejected him and further agonizing himself for being such a damn useless guy when in fact he is not.

Chiharu is his best friend.

She is there when he needed someone the most.

She rescued him from those menacing eyes that people give him because he is a quirkless person.

She saved him.

But…

Why?

He couldn't even save a single friend.

He couldn't let her feel that he can be trusted.

He can't even manage to bring Katsuki to her.

He is FUCKING useless.

"Isn't it obvious? There's no way that she's not frustrated. Even so, I can't believe I said that I could help… I can't do anything for her. Instead, she gave me a push—she's the one who encouraged me again… Can I… still be friends with her? Do I still have the right to be friends with—"

His monologue stops when he recalled the question that she asked him.

 ** _"Izuku, you won't leave me, right?"_**

He should not have the time for degrading himself. He is her best friend that's what she said. His main focus now is to make Katsuki and Chiharu talk. He won't play by the hands of negativity. He won't.

"I won't leave you, Chi-chan."

* * *

"She can't… She can't be a hero because of me! So, I have no use to see her!"

Chiharu has woken by the sound of arguing outside of her window. Shifting herself up to take peek onto the people who are seemingly arguing. At first, she yelped by the slight pain within her legs and hip which she can't move for no reasons. It felt like it is paralyzed and she can't move her knee even her fingers.

Maybe, it became stiff because she hasn't been moving around for six months? She has to tell her doctor for some physiotherapy to move her joints.

When she has achieved the angle to witness the argument, her eyes began to widen to see that it is Mitsuki and Katsuki fighting.

"Katsuki, stop with the guilt trip already! I am sure that she—"

"Why can't you understand old hag? Didn't the fucking doctor told us already!? Moreover, you fucking didn't tell her at all?! Haru deserves to know her shitty situation!"

Chiharu's curiosity has been enlightened by these two. Under normal circumstances, why are they shouting in front of the hospital? The staff will get them in any moment for causing such a ruckus.

"Stop shouting we're in a hospital, goddamn brat! Plus, I will tell her when things subdue for a moment. I haven't even told her about Tai—"

"Haru can't fucking walk nor can she get the fuck up!" Katsuki, with bitterness in his eyes, scowled at her mother as he yelped out the whole truth.

Chiharu is frozen stiff; shocked by all the words the ash-blonde threw. She can't walk? What? She can't get up? What? Everything is big news for her.

"Don't you remember? Or your freaking brain just forgot everything! Her lower body is paralyzed because of the incident, that's why she can't go back to school nor become a hero! The doctor even stated that she should **_give up_** being a fucking hero with her situation!"

 _Her? Quit? Paralyzed?_

There's no way her lower body is paralyzed. There's no way she could not have her normal life. There's no way that she'll won't go back to her freaking school. There's no way she can't become a hero and give up her dream. It's the only way that makes her strive for a new day. But, in just a snap, everything is taken away from her.

Just what the fucking hell does the world wants from her?

She couldn't give up her dream.

She can't.

She won't.

She's not paralyzed. She's not! She's not! She's not!

She has to fulfill her promise to her best friends.

She has to fulfill her promise to his Dad.

She has to.

She will become a hero.

At this very moment, she's confused and desperate about her situation.

"The one who swore to her to protect her ever since we're freaking brats yet I can't do it. Do you think I still have the fucking guts to see her? When I took everything away? When I took the freedom that she has like a normal person? I am an asshole—the worst of all."

"Katsuki, don't you understand? She doesn't want you to be like this. You have to be strong for her. That's why you need to talk with her, she needs fucking needs you!"

"Haru… Can't… fulfill her promise to her parents neither to us. I fucking hate myself. That's why, I won't apply to UA even if causes my dream—I can't be the only whose happy while she's suffering."

With that, Katsuki stormed out of the grounds. But for a bit, the corner of his eyes saw something that he really hated. It's Chiharu crying earnestly from the things that she heard. And for sure, just by seeing that face, he will never take a look of her again.

Chiharu retreated from her view; staring into the pair of her legs. Of course, she heard everything wrong, right? She'll be a hero. She'll save everyone. She'll be a hero like Eraserhead. She'll be a hero.

 ** _"We'll be heroes—together."_**

That's what Katsuki stated and she'll prove it. She can walk. She will. She can stand. She will.

She hurled away the mattress from her legs; revealing rough bandages in her legs. Gulping miserably to herself, she gathered all the courage and energy to make her legs move but couldn't. So, with her arms wrapped in bandages, she tried to prop herself up and crawled out of her hospital bed which she didn't planned carefully as her whole body fell to the floor, making a slight sound of a thud.

Her whole body felt the burning pain within the every fiber of her skin. It hurts so bad as she's nearly in her tears as cold sweat trickled down to her cheeks. She'll stand. She will. Trying her best to reach out for the chair near her hospital bed, she tried to support herself and stand up but it's no use. Her legs aren't reacting at all like it is all frozen stiff. Then, she remembers what the ash-blonde just stated.

 ** _"The doctor even stated that she should give up being a fucking hero with her situation!"_**

"No… No… I don't want to… Help me… Katsuki… Izu-chan… Mom… Dad…" The tears burst from her eyes, spilling down her face. She feels the muscles of her chin tremble. There is static in her head once more, the side effect of this constant fear, constant stress she lives with. She lays on the ground, her face closed in a grimace, skin pale and clammy. Every few minutes she would scream. It had a raw quality, the realness of a person consumed by a pain that knew no end or limit. Then she would go quiet, just panting.

"Stand up! Stand up stupid legs!" She cried, "Stand up! You're my legs, right? Stand up! Stand up!" Her scream was filled with pain put into the air, writ large for anyone who cared to help end it. Then, it faded, pleading within the darkness, "I will be a hero… I will become one… That's why, you have to stand up… I will… please… just let me have this…"

"Why are you crying, Aragaki Chiharu-san?" The voice came like a hollow night; distress, menacing and fearful. It's the one whom she heard from that incident—that guy who took away everything from her. She tried to turn her attention to the guy sitting within the window of her room, mockingly smiling at her. He wears that black hoodie that she really is disgusted off. And that's when it hit her, just like a solid bolder pounding her chest.

She can't breathe.

She can't move.

She needs help.

Help.

Help.

Help me anyone.

Help.

"I'll ask you once more, why are you crying, Aragaki Chiharu-san?"

 _This is reality._

 _The reality that she hates._

* * *

Author's Note:

When your legs don't work like they used to before~ Woops, sorry. Hahahaha! Anyway, everyone says that Chiharu needs to get up with her own two feet? But… She can't! Oh nooOOOOo! Okay, I'll stop with these awful jokes lol. Thank you so much for your support! Thank you for the comments!

So , I'll reveal you the fact that I won't make her a regular student of UA. Well, I've always wanted to write an OC that won't be joining the daily activities of Class 1-A or 1-B. Since for me that will be overly redundant considering that most of bnha stories have OCs joining the crew, so I plan to tweak it a bit.

I also wanted to shout out for Amberdeengirl17 for flooding and raising the reviews to a hundred. Thank you so much for supporting and commenting in every single chapter. Hahahaha!


	21. Chapter 21: Of Sunshine and Dead Eyes

Slight Spoiler in this chapter ((em serry))

* * *

Chapter 21: Of Sunshine and Dead Eyes

* * *

"Why are you crying, Aragaki Chiharu-san?" His menacing and husky voice rang in her ears. The fresh air that had surrounded her a while ago turned into suffocating smog. She didn't want to turn in the direction of the voice because she knew that once she did that, she'd be held captive by those bloody crimson eyes; ready to pierce her any moment.

Her throat became parched as her fear swallowed her whole. Although she wanted to crawl towards the exit and find help, she couldn't. Her lower body was completely unresponsive. The next thing she knew everything was floating and pointing towards the guy seated at the window.

 _Help me!_

 _Anyone…_

 _Help…_

"That's not nice of you… Do you really hate me that much?" He deadpanned, smirking at her sadistically from the other side of the room. Upon seeing the floating objects, he wanted to laugh at how pathetic this girl's attempts to harm him were.

"D-Don't come n-near me!" She tried to back up her words by flinging one of the chairs at him. Unfortunately, Tomura had dodged it perfectly, placing his fingers on its legs and turning it to dust. Afterwards, he sent another chair flying towards her that she barely dodged. A loud crash was heard throughout the room, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Do you really think you can defeat me with this stuff? Come on, take this seriously, Aragaki Chiharu-san. After all, I am serious about you." He teased, putting his hands on his hips. Oh, how he loves to see how she squirms in fear.

Fear completely enveloped her body as she slowly realized that she could never beat him in her current situation. Mustering up all the courage within her, she screamed, "Help me! Anyone! Help!"

"It's useless. I've sent them all to hell. There's only you and me, right now. Don't worry, I'll make sure that you'll have a blast."

Adrenaline coursed through her system as a fight or flight instinct told her to get the hell up and run away with her tail between her legs. Nothing else mattered, she had to get away. As tried to carry the weight of her legs towards the door, a part of her already knew that she wouldn't make it.

"Come on legs! Move!" She pleaded, desperately trying to force herself to move. Her legs still wouldn't respond to her call. She can feel her sweat drench her skin, the throbbing of her eyes, the ringing screams vibrating in her ears, and the thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers are curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm. She can hear her rapid breathing; the oxygen flooding in and out of her lungs. She is desperate to escape from this nightmare. She is desperate because of her dumb legs. Fear tortures her guts, churning her stomach in tense cramps. Fear engulfs her conscience, knocking all other thoughts aside. Fear overwhelms her body, exhausting her.

Tomura giggled in excitement, walking towards her rhythmically. Each tap of his foot on the ground makes her heart beat faster than ever. She wanted to plead, scream and cry at anyone. Sobbing miserably in place, she didn't noticed that Tomura was behind her and with no hesitations pulled her up. Ignoring the pain lingering on her hip, he propped her up against the cream colored wall. Hitching her breath to calm herself, her loose shoulders shook, her hands hanging low, making no attempt to conceal or even wipe away her own tears. She stared deeply into the white wall in front of her, as if poking holes into it. Aside from her reddened face she was so grey looking and her hair was as disheveled as the park under fall leaves.

"Let's have a friendly chat, shall we?" He murmured, crouching in front of her to look into her lifeless eyes. Although, he started the conversation, he couldn't help but notice how terrified she was. Chiharu couldn't speak a single word. The villain who had wreaked havoc on her entire life was right here, before her. Tension grew in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the last attack. Her breathing became more rapid, shallower.

"You know, you should be more thankful that I'm here. I saved you, you know?"

 _Saved…?_

"D-Don't give me that bullshit!" She tried to voice out her opinion despite the lingering fear within her. There's no way she could believe what this atrocious man is saying. Because of him, her whole life was ruined, crushing her dreams to ash.

"I… don't hurt me… _please…"_

He whispered into her ear, "I won't. After all, you're a comrade. "

 _C-Comrade?_

 _What is he thinking?_

"I have a simple proposal for you."

Her eyesight became blurry, but not because tears were welling up. Everything became fuzzy; then she saw nothing at all. Her consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with a thick static. Throughout the inky space her heartbeats pounded loudly, echoing in her ears, alongside fading pleas for help. Then in a split second, everything went black.

 ** _"Become a traitor, Aragaki Chiharu."_**

* * *

 ** _As long as you've got a manly spirit, then quirks don't count for anything…_**

 ** _Don't be stupid. For normies like us becoming a hero's not even in the picture…_**

 ** _Is that really true?_**

"The train is arriving at Shizouka Station in a few minutes. Please secure your luggage and get ready to unload."

Eijirou looked through the glass window of the train, heaving a deep sigh. Ever since the when he was frozen in his own tracks, unable to save the girls being attacked by a villain right in front of him had really taken a toll on his mental state. Maybe he should just drop the whole U.A idea. It was a pipe dream anyway.

 _I'm imagining things again…_

 _There's no way I can go there._

When the train's door opened, he immediately snapped out of his thoughts and hopped out of the train. Eventually, he found his feet carrying him towards the Shizuoka Hospital where his grandmother is confined.

His deep black hair straddles with the heavy atmosphere within him while his eyes tried to look over the hospital that he needs to go to. Carrying the burden of his thoughts, he didn't noticed that he's already within the boundaries of the said hospital. When he noticed that a frown escaped from his lips, he clasped his sturdy hands to his cheeks; waking him up from his deep emotional thoughts.

"Come on, Eijirou. It's not the time for being such a dull guy. You have to put a smile!" He encouraged himself by going to the nearest transparent glass within the vicinity of the hospital and stretched out a giggly smile across his lips. As much as he wanted to try and be a happy person when he visits his grandmother, he can't put an act. He was caught up by the recent happenings that he lost the desire to be such a jovial boy.

Sighing from his ridiculous practice, he entered the hospital and went towards his grandmother's room. Along the way, he heard a loud noise coming from a certain room. Curious about the screaming lady in that room, he tried to snoop around the cause of the sudden ruckus.

"Let go of me! Let go! The villain is—!"Chiharu screamed at the top of her lungs, struggling from the grips of Izuku and some nurses. It picked Eijirou's interest right on the bat when she mentioned about the villain. Somehow, it made him a bit scared when he heard about the questionable villain attack that he didn't noticed at all.

"Chi-chan, it's not true! It's a dream! You were leaning on the wall within the floor when we saw you! Plus, the staff didn't heard a single noise coming from your room! There's no footage in the CCTV cameras as well!" Izuku tried to explain himself, pushing his weight towards the panicking girl.

"No, no. It's true, you're all lying. Hurry the villain might attack you… anyone in this room… Please, believe me—"

"Chi-chan, stop it! Please!" Izuku yelled back, "You're hurting yourself… please… stop…" Even though he tried to put an act to stop her from these things, Izuku couldn't help but let tears flow from his eyes, seemingly, sending her a message to put a halt to this mess. It was his first time to gather a great amount of courage to yell at her. Upon noticing that he is serious about his statement, Chiharu's arms slacked away from their grips, looking so depleted from all the commotion she did. Biting her lip in frustration, she lost all the nerve to fight back, "Sorry…"

Eijirou immediately left the scene. The information about the villain is hoax but he saw something great which made his manly heart emotional for a while. Just imagining the people who are trying to make things better for their sick relative is something he couldn't surpass. As he was again thinking about the commotion, he didn't noticed that he was already in his grandmother's room. Sliding the room open, he began to enter the room and greet her with the smile that he practiced a while ago.

"Good Morning, Grandma!" With a hefty grin plastered within his lips, he made his way towards the chair beside her bed and sat on it. Although, he tried his best to put a façade, she could see how he wanted her not to worry. However, she decided to ride with his flow and return back the vibrant smile to him.

"Good Morning, Eijirou. How are you doing?" She greeted back, and as soon as she did, Eijirou began to pull out some fruits out of his bag for her, "I have lots of things to tell you!"

* * *

His talk with his grandmother made him exhausted for a bit. He told her about his experiences in his life and how he manage to compensate these events with his manly heart. Although, he tried to brighten the atmosphere between them, he hid his secret from his grandmother about his wavering decision.

Sighing to himself, he began to walk around the garden of the hospital to clear his mind. The garden is filled with patients playing all around whether old or not. Seeing these people made him warm, he really wanted to be a hero but all those 'wants' cannot be accomplish when he himself isn't that capable.

Meanwhile, Izuku and Chiharu decided to roam around the garden to calm the young lady down. She is in a wheelchair, slowly looking around her surrounding with deep lifeless eyes. As for Izuku, he assisted her by pushing her wheelchair while talking about lots of things to reminisce. Although, the curly green-haired guy is a crybaby, he wanted to be strong enough to support her friend who is suffering about the news concerning her health. They stopped in front of an under reconstruction site with some workers working on it.

"Chi-chan, do you want something to drink?" He crouched beside her, flashing another grin to soothe her out. The only thing she could manage to reply is a slight nod to him, and off he went. Dashing out form her place, he made his way towards the nearest vending machine to pull out some coins for her favorite strawberry milk.

 _Compensate with my manly heart? Not even my heart's up to snuff. I don't even jump to the fray when others are in trouble._

 _I'm not a man…_

 _Or anything else…_

 _Forget being a hero… I am not even man…_

Suddenly, the ladder that the worker left in front of Chiharu started to shake and fall over her. The workers are all shocked from the series of events that they only manage to blurt out their warning against the girl. On the other hand, Eijirou is brought back to reality when he heard all the yelps coming from the bystanders as he witnessed that the familiar girl is about to get crush by the ladder.

"Hey, that girl! Watch out!" One of the workers warned her.

Izuku, who happened to buy a carton of strawberry milk from the vending machine, suddenly jolted upon the said ruckus; only to see a large ladder about to hit his best friend. Broadening his eyes in pure shock, he began to race towards her as he call her out, "Chi-chan!"

"Izu-chan?" Then, her eyes rolled over to the falling ladder against her as if everything went slow motion to her. Meanwhile, Eijirou noticed everything. From the moment her lifeless eyes flickered up to the time that she accepted her fate. He hated how she treated herself as hopeless. Tightening his fist together, he wanted to save the girl but his legs aren't moving at all. He was scared that everything might repeat again. He's scared to commit mistakes again. He's scared to the fact that he might fail to save her.

"Chi-chan!" Izuku's horrifying scream echoed throughout the gardens. Upon hearing his yelp of help from afar made Eijirou earn the courage to move from his frozen space; reminding of himself about his own ideals and reasons of his dreams. As for Chiharu, she heaved another deep sigh, just witnessing the falling ladder to her made her feel that she's back in that night. To be honest, she is tired and wants everything to end but that doesn't mean that she'll leave without making things right. When she's about to activate her psychokinesis when some unfamiliar guy launches himself towards her and braces themselves from the impact.

Eijirou and Chiharu both landed on the dusty ground. Luckily, he is able to activate his hardening for them to have a swift landing, avoiding some scrapes. His strong arms enveloped her petite body, which is why she didn't have any minor injuries. Even though that happens within a snap, Chiharu couldn't help but be surprise by the whole ruckus.

"Don't…" Eijirou rises from the ground as well as sitting her straight. Then, for a split seconds, he gripped upon her shoulders and strikingly meets her purple orbs, conveying a message to her, "Don't treat life lightly!" Having his quirk still activated, she noticed how amazing his hardened features are. Eventually, upon meeting his striking red eyes, she knew that the fire within his eyes managed to knock her up to her sensess. A slight nod is all she can ensue as she pointed something at his back, "I manage to activate my quirk…" Turning his eyes behind him, he saw that the ladder is floating by itself that's when he jolted back to her with a confuse look, "I have psychokinesis as a quirk."

It was then he realized that what he did is utterly useless. "A-Ah! S-Sorry! I really thought that I—Ahh, damn it! I'm so uncool!"

That's when Chiharu giggled for the first time within the day, it made him stop from his unnecessary excuses and gazed upon the young lad. A calm smile escaped from her lips, reaching over his hardened face, "You're totally cool with a quirk like this."

"E-E-Eh!? I-I-I!"

"A-A-Ahh! So-Sorry!" It took Chiharu seconds before she retreated her hands from his face, blushing furiously in her current state. Somehow, her heartbeat echoed in her ears. It beats so loudly that it seemed to want to escape her chest, to flee from her.

"Chi-chan, sorry! Are you alright?!" He exclaimed, "Thank you so much for saving her!"

"N-No, I didn't do anything aside from causing trouble."

"But still, you saved her. What if she didn't activate her quirk on time? I'm also completely useless that's why I am thanking you for your heroism!"

 _Heroism?_

 _But I didn't do anything…_

"Uh, err. Can you stand?" Eijirou asked, offering her a helping hand which she replied with a sheepish smile. Her hips are aching for a bit when they landed but still she tried to accept his helping hand and exert her strength to stand, which she utterly failed when her legs didn't respond to her call. This made the black-haired man confuse for a while when he tried to pull her to him.

"Chi-chan, don't force yourself." He told her then gaze upon Eijirou, "S-Sorry but she has a problem with her legs."

"O-Oh, I see! So-Sorry for being too oblivious!" He politely apologized wrapping his arms towards her as he sweep her away from the ground. With his arms under her legs and arms, he began to talk to Izuku on how he wanted to help her. As he was carrying her, he noticed that she is too light for a normal teen age girl, making him frown. Moreover, it elicited his curiosity about this girl. He carefully placed her back to the wheelchair, smiling back to her.

"Well then, I have to go back since my grandmother is looking for me." He was about to turn away from them, going back towards her grandmother when he felt someone tugging the hem of his shirt. When he glanced over that person, it turned out to be Chiharu, gazing at him directly.

"U-Umm. What is your name?" She asked, hoping for an answer.

"Kirishima Eijirou!" He introduced himself, happily grinning towards her.

"This is Midoriya Izuku, my childhood friend. I am Aragaki Chiharu."

"Oh, I see."

For a split second everything went silent among them. Fidgeting within her seat she started to clear out the awkward atmosphere, "Ummm. Can we be friends?"

"Huh?"

"A-Ah well," Izuku blurted out, seemingly trying to continue the conversation, "We know that it's out of the blue. But Chi-chan is a friendly person plus maybe, she wanted some sort of connection between the two."

Eijirou didn't hesitate and answered back, "Well then, of course! I'm glad that you wanted me to be part of your circle of buddies!"

A bright tingling smile escaped from her lips, giggling over the fact that she made another friend, "Since we're friends, can I give you a nickname?"

"Nickname?"

"Eiji? How does that sound?"

"E-Eiji, that's cool! Well then, can I call you by your first name? Since we're buddies and such!" Eijirou then glanced over Izuku, "You too, feel free to call me any names you think of!"

"Of course!"

* * *

"Kirishima-san is truly a nice person!" Izuku placed Chiharu in her bed smoothly as he fixed the ends of the blanket for her. However, ever since Chiharu got back she hasn't uttered a single word with him, making him a bit worried. But after the awkward atmosphere that they made, she finally spoke out,"Izu-chan, with my current situation, does that mean that I cannot walk anymore?"

Her question caused him to stagger a bit, thinking of the possible good answers that he might come up. But the way she waits for his answers only points out that she needs to know the truth. In that case, he couldn't resist how she manages to make him spill everything.

"It's not that. You have the possibility, probably. But I think it will be hard and it won't just cover a few months. I mean, it will take years for you to be able to walk." He explained in sugary words, gently patting her back.

"Then, what should I do? I don't want to give up my dream as simple as this. Eiji taught me something. With the way he rescued me and tells me to cherish my life, I felt rejuvenated and start over." She paused, meeting his eyes, "I really wanted to become a hero."

"The doctors said that you can have a surgery but that surgery will be risky to you so your legal guardian didn't allow it."

"Isn't it Mitsuki-san? I think that they'll agree with that possibility."

"Well, it wasn't them."

"Huh?"

He further explained in detail, "Apparently, someone took care of the liberty to be your legal guardian. According to Bakugou-san, your parents entrusted that person to look after you when they're gone. So, it took a lot of time to have the papers be ready for having you in that person's care."

At this point, she's puzzled with the way things are going. Well, she's asleep for six months so she should be expecting these kind of outcomes, "Do you have the idea? Who could that be?"

"I really don't have the clue. I haven't seen that person ever since you've been hospitalized."

"Are you truly sure that we can trust him?"

"As long as Bakugou-san's family agrees then there's nothing I can do about it. Plus, he processed all the legal documents so he really is your guardian from now on."

"Just anything? Maybe, Mitsuki-san told you about that person's appearance…"

He tried to dig in some information about her guardian and tried to pinpoint the necessary details, "That person is a slender and tall man with messy, shoulder-length black hair that partially hangs in front of his face. Then uhhh," He pauses for a while then continued, "He is pale and a bit worn-out."

She heaved a sigh, lifting her eyebrows to him, "He sounds so suspicious…"

Unexpectedly, the door slides open, revealing the guy that Izuku is describing. Upon landing her eyes onto that guy, she eventually knew who that person is because she has been an avid since she's a little snotty brat. With her mouth agape as she nearly got choke with her own spit, her impression of him suddenly changed.

"Excuse me… I heard Chiharu is awake so…" He deadpanned, looking around the room as if trying to spot her.

"Ah, Ah, ah… Huh!? E-Eraserhead?!'

 _What is he doing here!?_

* * *

Author's Note:

I have come with the latest chapter! Anyway, first of all, I am deeply sorry that it's really late considering my timeline when it comes to updating my chapters. I got a huge writer's block in the middle so I really don't know what to do also school is killing me ughhh. By the way, thank you for the huge amount of support you guys are giving.

To explain Chiharu's condition, I really didn't messed up with her life (or wait I really messed her up). Her condition can be cured if and only if Shouta will allow her to take part of the surgery. Her condition is called incomplete paraplegia wherein she's not completely paralyzed. As a matter of fact, she can feel some of her limbs but she can't fully take over her legs that leaves her like that. About the surgery, I might messed her up real bad LOL

So, yep, I have introduced our daily dose of Sunshine && Dadzawa! And he will be part of her adventure within the premises of the hospital LOL ((I just noticed that this fanfic is really a slowburn to the point that I am in my 20 chapters but it's not yet in its real plot gash gotta make the story fast))

Let me know your thoughts.


	22. Chapter 22: Sudden Disappearance

Author's Note:

To the non manga readers, I think that this chapter will make you confuse because it will reveal a bit of Kirishima's backstory.

* * *

Chapter 22: Sudden Disappearance

* * *

"I'm not going to allow it."

Chiharu jolted from her position upon hearing the coldness of his answer. Apparently, Shota happened to declare that he managed to administer his right to be her guardian so in return, he has all of the rights whether to let her undergo it or not. When Izuku learned about his position and the desire to talk with Chiharu alone, he immediately bid his farewell and left, leaving the two of them alone.

"Why?" She replied dryly, glancing towards her favorite hero. Although, the man that she really idolizes is in front of her; she doesn't have the mood for that. Now that they're discussing about her current state and that Shota didn't allow her caused her to feel hopeless.

This is his first time to have long talk with her yet it didn't really encouraged her. He felt guilty that he welcomed her by talking about her current situation. Hearing Taira and Ryuuji's fuss about Chiharu's desire to be like him made him lost. Of course, he is honored to have someone who adore him but telling her about this news merely disappoints himself, "It's risky. They told me that your body may not be able to handle it perfectly. So, I will just bring reco—"

"It's enough… Eraserhead, I appreciate the concern." She forced a weak smile to her features, which Shota immediately noticed. This girl truly manifested Taira's qualities. Suddenly, tears began to flood her eyes upon realizing that her dreams are getting farther and farther. Even though the truth is already in her grasps, she couldn't just accept it. Everything is unclear to her.

"Eraserhead, I'm sorry… but I just couldn't stop myself. It **_hurts._** " She tried to compose herself but failed when her uncontrollable emotions pooled her heart, making her a mess. Seeing Taira's daughter break down right before his eyes caused a whirlwind of disappointment within him. The urge to cry comes and goes, chaotic, powerful, spilling hot tears. In-between the floods it sits heavy on her heart.

She's an innocent girl, he gets that.

But the way that villain ruthlessly snatched everything from her is unforgivable.

He swears to himself that he'll find that villain who caused havoc to their lives and let them pay them for what they've done.

His arms extended towards her fatal frame, patting her head softly as he tried to reassure her, "Don't worry. I am here. I will find a way out of this."

* * *

After Izuku got off from the extreme training from All Might he hurriedly went to the hospital to visit Chiharu. It's been always like this, without batting an eye about his situation he'll always find time to reconnect with her which she abruptly noticed. Haggard and exhausted from balancing his life as a student, sometimes, he finds himself asleep within her room. Because of this instances, Chiharu found herself thinking for a resolve for the sake of Izuku.

Days happened in a snap of a finger that Izuku realized that he became too busy with his training. With that in mind, he tried his best to have some time with Chiharu so he decided to bring her at the rooftop. As soon as they reach the rooftop, they're welcomed by green, orange and yellow leaves, in various different shades all of them floating gracefully within the air. It was as if a friendly hand was gently lowering them to the ground. Whispers between these leaves filled the air, whispers and mutters. The air was cool and crisp, like a refreshing drink of cool water after hours in a desert. The breeze fluttered around, gently caressing everything it touched with fingers that had been a comfort to so many over their long, lonely years.

"Chi-chan, sorry for not spending a lot of time with you." He crouched in front of her, smiling sheepishly to her, "Whenever I visit you, I am always asleep. It felt like your room is my bedroom."

Chiharu could feel how tired he is. Comparing herself to him, she hasn't even progressed anything. All she did is to rest within her room, read books just like a normal teenager and that's it. She's not even exerting a lot of effort. Observing the situation, she felt completely useless.

"Also, sorry, I really couldn't convince Kacchan after all. Truly, I am frustrated that I couldn't bring him to UA nor to you, even though the last day of passing the application forms will be tomorrow." He explained to her calmly, "But, I'll always try my best! I won't give up until the end."

It hurts her. Izuku is giving all he got for her sake—for their friendship. Yet, she couldn't even do anything at all. Biting her lower lip in frustration as she began to hate herself for all of this mess. And that's when something occurred to her that she knew instantly that it will be difficult to take.

"After the entrance exam…" She pauses, exhaling deeply and blurted out the words that neither the two of them would want to hear, "Izu-chan, **_leave me_**."

"Huh? Why? What are you saying?" His eyes widened upon her declaration. At first, he thought that he is just hearing things but he could see how dead serious she is.

With a light smile across her lips, she replied, "With my psychokinesis, I can do everything by myself. I can do chores like a normal person. Look, Eraserhead is with me as well. I can live on my own." And the next few words made his world shatter, "So, Izu-chan, you should live your life as well." Abruptly, she turned her wheelchair away from him and started to travel towards the door in silence.

"Wait, what? Wait," Izuku immediately runs towards her halting the wheelchair as he began to force her to face him, "Don't tell me that! If you're thinking that it's for my sake or something, don't joke around."

In an instant, her eyes went insensible as if she gave up life already. Upon seeing this sent a chill down to his spine as he speculate that Chiharu has been holding for this for a while. She parted her mouth for a bit then replied, "Understand this. Isn't it enough? You've been trying to take good care of me ever since I'm in a coma, learning about my legs, abolishing my dreams and everything. You're always thinking of me when you have a long list of tasks to do." Gritting her teeth in agitation, she shoved his hands away from her as bitterness began to engulf her.

"Leave me already!" Those three words are enough for Izuku to break down on his own. It brought tears to his eyes; realization hitting him like a truck. He was too focused to cheer her up and everything but he blatantly turn a blind eye to her feelings. All this time she is faking it. He knew it yet he didn't manage to reach for her.

She yelped, "I have been forcing you to stay by my side all these times and I have become a burden to you… Can't you see? I can't do anything. It hurts, you know. I can't even manage to talk to Katsuki nor cheer you up in times of trouble. I'm sorry… I am not the Chiharu that you used to know… I can't smile so willingly unlike before..." She would describe her sadness like death by a thousand paper cuts, for every time she remembered her loss it was another cut to her already damaged mind. None were enough to kill her, but overtime their accumulation bled her of the humanity she had once had. She once was gregarious and generous natured, now she was just gaunt and melancholy.

"Don't… Don't tell me that!" He screamed, desperate enough to wake some senses to her, "Be a bother! Bother me with everything, it's alright. You can order me around ask me to do things for you because I wanted to be with you!" Again, he walked towards her as he brushed the tears flowing endlessly from her eyes, "You've been a great help in my whole life. You are the reason that I kept striving to what I wanted to be. Remember the time when I've been bullied for several times, you're the only one who stuck by my side, believing that I will become a hero—the three of us."

Chiharu hitched her breathe, sadness piling within her chest as she continued to listen to his story.

"You always have a fight with Kacchan because you're always trying to protect me. Upon thinking about it, you were also bullied because you stuck with me. Even though everyone told me to die or I am good for nothing; the only one who's with me is Chi-chan. The one who gave me the right to dream is you. You are able to give dreams. Call me selfish or anything but I really am happy for having you here… That's why, I told myself that when you need trouble, I'll help. But…" He paused, showing how he has been thinking of her, "It's frustrating for me… to see you like this… Even though I am by your side, I couldn't save you. I knew that you're suffering but I didn't reach out for you. However, Chi-chan, you're not here alone! You're not alone anymore that's why rely on me, please. Because under that starry night, we screamed our hearts out and wished that we will be the greatest heroes of all time! You should not give up because everyone is waiting for you."

She nodded, aggressively. That's when Izuku leaned forward and wrapped his sturdy arms against her pale frame. Upon burying her head to her chest, she began to scream her heart out as he patted her back; sending her a signal that he will always be by her side.

* * *

Eijirou found himself resting in a bench, staring upon the scribbled part of the paper within his Career Assessment. It will be the last day tomorrow in submitting the requirements for UA yet here he is lounging around the hospital's bench for nothing. He didn't even tell his grandmother about that because knowing her, she'll be worrying about his well-being and he disliked that. Problems will only turn into stress and stress will have a bad impact in her current health.

Sighing heavily, his eyes traveled to the clear blue sky above him. It's peaceful yet his heart is lost. His quirk isn't that flashy to rescue people and anyone will always be glad to have someone be rescued by a great person. He is dull to be exact. When he think of it, if he'll compare himself with that Ashido girl from his school, he knew that UA will absolutely pick her instead.

I can't become a hero.

"Wow, you're applying to UA." Suddenly, his train of thoughts snapped to reality when his eyes met with Chiharu's purple orbs. Upon coming face to face with the girl he just met yesterday, he felt quite surprise by their distance that he jumped from his seat.

"W-What?"

However, Chiharu's smile turned into a frown when she takes another look within his form, "But, Eiji… Why did you scribbled it with your pen?"

"I'm not suited. A dull person with a dull quirk isn't suited for a prestigious school like UA." He deadpanned, hiding the paper within his pocket. "Plus... I don't even jump into the fray when others are in trouble. I'm not a man or anything else. All I did was put on an act. I was just going through motions. But when the chips are down, and the time comes where I have to save someone that's when your true colors surface."

"Eh? Your quirk is amazing, you know. You can protect anyone with that. It's so cool!" Her eyes beamed in excitement, making Eijirou a bit shock from her comment. It's as if, she can appreciate every little thing that she has although he won't take the bait since he failed himself after all.

"It's not flashy or anything. Will anyone even notice it? It's not even a big deal."

"It is! You're cool when you saved me! Because of your quirk, I didn't received any injuries nor scrapes. You're like the ultimate sword, shield or any weapon!" With a grin plastered within her features, she puts her hands to his shoulder and exclaimed, "In addition, you're unwavering faith to step when I'm in dire need made you one! You can be a hero!"

"No way, I didn't do anything. Also, you manage to activate your quirk on time. Without me you can save yourself, I just happen to mess things up. What's so great about that? People who can even take just a single step forward when faced with their own morality are the ones who can be heroes."

"Do you really wanted me to tell you those stuff?" The mild tone of her voice perked up onto his ears. Puzzled and lost by the choice of her words, he then found himself listening to the sweetness and enticing words of hers, "No one else but you jumped and saved me." Then she added, "Also, with what you said that you can't even jump into fray and stuff, you just did it to me though. You're not useless."

"And what makes you think that I'm not?" He jolted, attacking her with piles of question that even she got confused to his action.

A deep sigh escaped her for the umpteenth time and answered, "Isn't natural? We all fear; we are humans, after all. We have emotions and we tend to feel alarm in almost everything. Fear is everywhere from the policemen to the pro heroes, each and every one of us has one thing to be scared of so—"

"What do you know anyway!?" Eijirou snapped, "You don't know anything! Being scared… and such. You are always happy and grinning widely. Plus, you have a great quirk up on your sleeves."

"I do. I am human, after all."

"No, you don't. You don't even know what a villain looks li—"

"I do."

Eventually, Ejirou snapped away from his rants as he saw her eyes get dimmer, "I do. It's been televise for a while but… do you know the infamous girl who got trapped in the rubbles caused by a certain villain?"

Upon hearing that his eyes widened from shame, he didn't know how to react and apologize. That news has been going all around the whole time, yet, here he is scolding someone who even faced a villain head on. He is nothing compared to what she has experience. He knew it; the name Aragaki Chiharu sounds familiar. He knew it yet he did something unforgivable. He is unmanly. He is uncalled for.

Guilt rampaged itself towards his chest upon realizing the choice of words he made. There's only one thing he needs to and that is to launched himself on the floor, "Sorry… What the hell am I doing!? I am—I-!"

"No need!" She exclaimed, stopping him from nearly bowing and kneading himself to the floor, "I only told you that because you're being eaten by your anxiety. You can't become a hero? Don't make me laugh. Don't say you can't before you even try. Don't give up before you start. Don't get scared just because of a single failure." She continued, putting her hands on his shoulders, as she stared at him for a bit. Her purple orbs flickered her way to his soul; it felt like she is hypnotizing me or something. "Surely, I guarantee that you're going to be a great hero. When that time comes, save me from _myself_."

For a while, he knew something was wrong to her and he wishes that at that time he helped her with herself.

"Eiji… I have a favor."

* * *

Katsuki has been loitering around of his room for a while. Yet, the sudden anxiety hasn't left him and he felt burdened by these feelings. It's been a while since Chiharu woke up yet he never manage to man up and visit her all because of his guilt. That reminds him, today is the deadline of the UA application. He still wanted to become one but thinking about her makes his stomach churn.

Suddenly, his mobile bursts out with his ringtone, motioning a call for him. When he manage to take a peek to his phone, he instantly got annoyed by the caller—Midoriya Izuku. Every time he calls, he will only try to convince him to go and see Chiharu or apply to UA. He didn't get how stubborn or dumbass that good-for-nothing quirkless guy, so he chose to ignore the call.

After a few moments, the ringtone died proceeding to the voice mail.

 ** _[Kacchan, it's me! I know you don't want to hear me blabber again but this is important!]_**

 ** _[I called you because you know Chi-chan the most.]_**

 ** _[Listen, Chi-chan is… missing...]_**

"Eh?" Adrenaline filled his veins when he heard that word which made him rapidly rise up from his,"What the fucking hell!?"

 ** _[Chi-chan disappeared! A-Ah, Bakugou-san wanted to talk to—]_**

 ** _[Hey, stupid son! Get your fucking ass moving! Chiharu-chan is missing! Don't fucking mop around and fucking find her, damn it!]_**

 _Beep!_

 ** _Haru disappeared? No way…_**

* * *

Author's Note:

I tried to finish this chapter as soon as possible because I know I owe you guys for being so late in updating chappies. I deeply apologize for that. Anyway, I get this feeling that for the past few chapters my chapters are getting sloppy and dull…. Argghhhh, sorry, it's not getting interesting/crie. Anyway, thank you as always for commenting and telling me your thoughts. I've been in a slump for days and yep… I don't know…

By the way, there are readers speculating that she'll become a mainstream villain or something because of Tomura going after her. But trust me, Chiharu will be something that you won't really expect to be. Mwahahahahah! I'm just trying to shake your brains and be confused to the progress of the plot LOL


	23. Chapter 23: A Smile that Eases Out

Chapter 23: A Smile that Eases Out the Monsters

* * *

A/N: A very long chapter because I've missed 3 weeks from my updating sched. Sarreh.

* * *

" _Am I still doing the right thing?"_

.

.

.

.

"Patient No. 765—Aragaki Chiharu—is missing! Find her as soon as possible!" Nurses after nurses, scatters all over the place to find the familiar petrol-blue hair within the vicinity. Everyone looks so stressed and haggard upon searching for Chiharu all over the place. Eijirou bit his lip in frustration as he continued to observe how he did something _wrong_ —definitely wrong.

"EIjirou, what's wrong?" His grandmother asked, looking a bit worried about his expression lately. Snapping away from his train of thoughts, he hovered his attention towards his seemingly worried grandmother in his sight. A slight twinge of sigh escaped from his lips, furrowing his eyebrows as well.

"Grandma, I have something to tell you."

"Finally, you will tell me everything."

"E-Eh?" He gasped from what he heard, looking straight towards her.

"Eijirou, you're not good at hiding your pain. So please, tell me everything you're feeling."

He nodded, preparing his thoughts as he heaved another sigh, "Recently, I decided to give up my dream to become a hero." Although, the sudden drop of news has brought her into a deep swirl of confusion, she remained silent and let him continue.

"Because I've been a coward and unworthy to be called a hero nor a man," He continue, "My quirk is not as flashy as people think. I can't even make bullies stop hurting people but a certain schoolmate was able to do it in a single snap of a finger. Even though the villain is in front of me, I couldn't even do anything—that's what I thought for the past few days but…"

"I recently met a girl." He trailed, "A girl who tried to sound strong when in fact she wanted to break down and cry. I began to belittle her own personality when I didn't even realized that her problems are worst than mine. So, to compensate from what I did, I tried to help her." Then, he met her grandmother's eyes, gulping through the next words he'll utter, "I help her escape."

"That's—! Her? That one called, Aragaki?"

"Yes." He sighed, "I know I did something wrong for a man but over the past hours, as I have helped her from her request, I began to understand a bit from her. Right now, all she needed now is _that guy._ "

"I see." His grandmother replied, pulling out a warm smile from her lips, "Whatever you did. I hope that it will turn into something good." She sighed, "You must really like that girl—that one called Aragaki."

"E-Eh? Well, yeah…" A small smile pursued to his lips, "I _like_ her."

* * *

 _Tic! Toc! Tic! Toc! Tic! Toc!_ It's been a few minutes since he received the call from Izuku yet he still couldn't believe what he just heard.

 ** _Haru is missing._**

She can't be kidnapped by that villain, right? There are lots of people who will surely notice the ruckus. And, he may not quite trust Izuku, but that guy sticks to her like glue ever since she's admitted to the hospital. He hated to admit it but he can watch over her while he is gone after all, Chiharu trusts Izuku as well.

There's this also that sluggish guardian of hers that seemingly introduced himself as a friend of her parents. He may sound suspicious but it was later on confirmed by many. Even though that guy looked so tired all the time, he knows how to take good care of Chiharu according to what he eavesdropped in his parents.

Of course, he may not appear to her for months already but he IS deeply worried about Chiharu. He wanted to be the one taking care of her instead of the stupid nerd. He wanted to be the one to be by her side at all costs. However, his self is stopping him from doing what he intended to do.

As much as he hated it, every time he had the urge to drop all the meaningless thoughts within his mind; he can't. The monster crippling inside him—the monster called guilt—is haunting him every night. His hands began to claw its way to his hair furiously, recalling all the possible things that might happen in her sudden disappearance.

"Fuck…"

"Where the hell are you, Haru?"

With all these people surrounding her there's no way that she'll disappear right on the bat. Somehow, there's something that's been going all around his head. What if… What if Chiharu just escaped? Now, for what reason we'll she even es—suddenly, he heard some of the snippets with his conversation with Izuku.

 _"Kacchan, everyone left for her sake! Why will you even leave!?"_

He lays down to the sofa, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to concentrate his thoughts. But, suddenly, the doorbell rang all over the place, making him jump from the sudden noise. Grunting from the person who dared to destruct him from his train of thoughts, he quickly walked towards the door and opened it harshly. It revealed the familiar curly green haired guy, panting in front of him.

"Kacchan, w-what are you doing!?"

"Huh? How dare you step a fucking foot within my residence? Get the hell out of here."

"Didn't you hear what I-"

"Shut the fuck up, Deku! Who even told you to go here, asshole?!"

Upon hearing his statement, eventually all the contained fear within him depleted for a moment. Tightening his knuckles together, he ensured that this time he will make him join the search party for their friend, "Chi-chan disappeared! Aren't you going to find her?!"

"I fucking know! I know! Isn't your fault?! Haru is already by your sight yet you managed to let go of her."

 _Just like that time..._

 _She's already in front of me..._

 _Yet..._

 _"_ I don't know!" Izuku screamed, squeezing his eyes tight shut.

"Huh?"

"Despite being one of the closest person to her, I don't know where she is. It's s-so frustrating, you know."

"What the hell are you fu-"

"I was so jealous of you! Because even though I was always with her, I didn't know anything about her. I couldn't even let her speak to me face to face. I-I couldn't even be the one to com-comfort her in times of trouble. Because behind those purple eyes, she began to find someone that isn't me. That's why, I don't know where she went!"

"How am I supposed to kn-"

"The one person that she needed the most right now is you, Kacchan! When we're kids the only one who could find her when we're playing hide-and-seek is you because you know her better than I!"

Katsuki went silent for a while.

Contemplating the words that he uttered.

He hated to admit it but fucking Deku is right.

 _"Fuck_ you Deku, remember this." He mumbled, scowling upon his green orbs, making Izuku flinched and staggered in return. He breathe, "Don't tell me what to fucking do, bastard." With that being said, he stormed out of his room and to his house, without any care to the people whispering around because of his sudden outburst.

Turning a blind eye to all of this ruckus, he began to focus to the main goal in mind.

He needs to find Haru.

Although, he knew something will turn out unpredictably because he can read her like a book. Nevertheless, he knew he should be prepared to what things will happen later on.

Katsuki ran and ran and ran all over the neighborhood. Panting all over the places as he tried to search for Chiharu, skimming his eyes throughout every place he could encounter. He tried every single place he could think where she can lounge to; starting from their hangout places, to some sweet shops, everywhere but he couldn't even find her at all.

The wind puffed out some cold breeze all over the place. It's been hours since he learned about the news but there's no sign of her everywhere. Honestly, he had no idea where she'd be. She escaped from his room, so he assumed that she won't go around that much because of her legs. But then again, just thinking how reckless is Chiharu, he knew that if she sets onto something even if she knew its impossible, she'll do it. She might force himself, and that idea made him frustrated.

Calming himself down, he tried to collect his thoughts as he breathe the fresh air around him. He began to think about the possible ways that she may run off to and where she wanted to stop by once she get off the hospital. Talking about her, she's a bit promise keeper and is a memory holder. So she migh-

He stopped from his train of thoughts when he began to pick the puzzle pieces all together. A promise keeper? A memory holder? In that case, he already knew where she is. Hell, he'll get a lot of scolding because he knew that Izuku already talked about him giving up everything.

"Shit, of all the places, why choose that place!?" He gritted under his teeth, dashing from his place to their school where they wished under the billion stars that they'll become heroes together.

* * *

Katsuki climb up the stairs of towards rooftop in a rush. Seemingly, crossing his fingers to himself. This is the only place he could think off to where she wanted to go. And he swears to himself, if she's not here then he utterly fucked up. Opening the door of the rooftop as it screeches from his sudden appearance, he slowly walked inside and spotted the girl that he's been finding for hours except that she's in a fucking wheelchair.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! In first place, Bakugou Katsuki!" Her sweet gentle voice that he wanted to hear for a long time rang throughout the whole place. He missed those purple eyes that radiates hope all over the place. He missed those petrol-blue wavy strands dancing within the wind as it reflects the color of the calm soothing ocean. And last but not the least, he always wanted to see that irritating smile that always curved out to her lips.

It's Haru.

"Congratulations, you found me." She added, trying to stroll the wheelchair towards him.

His eyes hovered from her round face up to the legs that is seemingly frozen in its place. He could also hear the sound of the wheels rolling over the concrete as it reminded him of his great sin. Suddenly, everything went dark and heavy-the monster within him returning to whisper that menacing words to him.

 ** _It's all your fault._**

No! It's not! Stop!

 ** _You failed her._**

 _No, I tried to protect her!_

 ** _You are weak._**

 _No, No, No, No!_

 ** _It's because of you that she can't walk._**

 ** _Can't you see how she suffers?_**

 ** _It's because of you, she can_ 't be _a hero._**

 ** _ALL BECAUSE OF YOU._**

"Stop! I'm not! I'm-"

"Katsuki?" Chiharu is about to extend her hand towards him, his eyes noticed how her pale features deeply reflects how worried she is in his current situation. But, instead of letting her comfort him, he shoved it away with enough force to signal her that he doesn't need her, "Don't fucking come near me!"

A loud clasp was heard all over the place as the little petrol-blue hair is a bit surprised by his attitude. Realizing what he just did to her, he immediately felt bitter about what he did.

 _What am I fucking doing?!_

 _"_ Haru, I'm going to bring you back to the hospital."

He expected her to obey with much obedience but this time, she is different. She won't just back down because the guy that she hasn't seen for months is here, screaming for someone's help.

She has to clear things for the sake of both of them.

"I'm not going back." Her short declaration made him a bit taken aback, "With all these months you haven't talked nor see me, do you expect that I will follow you immediately?!"

"Do you think," He trailed, curling his fist in anger, "Do you think this is a fucking game, Haru!?"

Then, his crimson eyes began to rage in fury, spouting everything that has been going on to his head for a few hours, "Do you know how much I am fucking worried about you? What if you get kidnapped by some bastard out there?! Do you think this is funny!? What if I wasn't able to find you!? Then, you'll be stuck here, huh!?"

"But," She gulped down all the anxieties in her and continued, "You found me, Katsuki. No matter what happens, the one who knows where I'll be… is you."

Silence.

The only thing that could be heard between the two is the blowing cold breeze of the winds and the rustling of leaves. Their current state is a bit awkward for the two of them; knowing that each of them carries a huge scar from the last encounter. Nevertheless, Chiharu tried to break the ice, reminiscing about the past.

"Did you remember this place?" She said, gazing all over the place as her eyes meet the clear blue sky, "This is where we shouted our wish at the top of our lungs-to become the greatest heroes of all."

"Can't you just get to the point?!" He angrily retorted, gnashing his teeth in anger, "I know you've wanted to ask me things! Now, tell me all these shits!"

She exhaled sharply, preparing herself for the next words that will she'll spew in any moment. Knowing that these words will cause another havoc into each other's relationship. However, she took no precautions to what she'll say because she wanted to have a straightforward and honest exchange between the two of them.

"Why did you withdraw your application in U.A? Aren't you going to become a hero anymore?"

"It's none of your damn business. I'm going to drag your freaking ass to the-" He began to extend his hand towards her but he shoved it away with much force.

"I am asking you a question!" She shouted with all her might, glaring at him furiously. "Tell me, is it because of me!?"

"..."

"Is it because of my damn situation?!"

"..."

"Is it because you thought that you failed me!?" She whaled, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Answer me, damn it!"

Finally, he snapped, yelling back to her, "Yeah, sure! I am guilty! I am guilty of what happened! Starting from that night up to your shitty legs! All of it!"

"Don't go and wreck your dreams because of me, damn it!"

"Don't you dare tell me what to do! This is my fucking life, Haru. You got nothing to do with it!"

"Well, then it's also my decision to save you! It's my life and you've got nothing to do with it, stupid!"

That was it. Katsuki finally broke and she didn't know what to do. "You're telling me I'm supposed to sit there while you had pounds rock of concrete crashing toward your head?!" Katsuki roared, glaring down to her. His nails dug into his curled fists, "I'm supposed to watch as you nearly died just to save me?! Fuck, Haru! I'm the one who swore! The one who should be in a fucking wheelchair is me not you, damn it!"

"Do you even under-"

"What to even under-"

"Shut up!" she screamed in his face. "Katsuki, I was doi-"

"Like when you decided it was a good idea to push me away and save me!?" Katsuki's chest heaved, memories of the night flooding his mind. "Did you have it then?!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You taking stupid risks! Again! That time when your shitty ass saved me and now escaping in the damn hospital!"

She shook her head. "What was I supposed to do, Katsuki? Leave you there and get you crushed underneath the concrete!?"

"Yes!" he bellowed. "Leave me!"

Purple eyes widened at his answer. "Wh-What?"

"Just-!", he ruffled his hair in pure distress as he ravishes his own retorts to her,"Shut the hell up and be protected, damn it!"

Chiharu jerked back. "What? What the hell? What the motherfucking hell did you just expect me to do!? Like hell, I'll just sit back there and let the world take you!" She cried, "Did you even know how it hurts!? How it is painful!? Everyone is gone and I don't want to sit still and see you going as well! I can't take it anymore!"

"Same as you, dumbass! Do you even know what I fucking felt when I saw your blood oozing out?! When I can't even do anything to save you!? You don't get to fucking die in front of me and then take stupid risks!" he screamed, inches from her face , trying to hide the soft sobs escaping his lips. The exhaustion weighing his body heavy, he took his time to turn around to face her.

 _Die? In front of him?_

 _What?_

To this day, the details of the villain attack were still fuzzy. Chiharu hadn't been able to recall what exactly had happened, so she relied heavily on what others had told her.

What had actually happened at the scene held varying degrees of truth.

In the span of six month, all she did was to lie comfortably in her own bed.

On how just Izuku kept on avoiding about the real truth about her incident.

Seeing Mitsuki trying to sound so cheerful when in fact she's already carrying a heavy burden in herself.

And on the day she woke, there's no sign of Katsuki at all.

No one told her what had exactly happened before she'd woken up.

"I didn't die," she whispered, shaking her head slowly. "I'm alive. I'm fine-"

"You died."

"Huh?"

"You gave up everything for me to live on."

His eyes shifted to the side again and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. As he blinked, they dripped from his eyelids and slid down his cheeks. He bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from his mouth; her heart sank.

"Everyone told me," Katsuki spat bitterly, face hot and angry, "That you don't have the chance to live-that it will be a great miracle for you to live."

Chiharu had known.

"You-" His voice failed for a moment. "I hated it. Your pesky smile. But, that pesky smile saved me."

She had no idea.

"It recalled to me every night; everything that happened about the villain attack. I couldn't sleep because all I can see is you saying your farewell and myself regretting for being so weak."

She had no idea that her presence really mattered.

"I'm fucking scared can't you see!?" Katsuki covered his face with his arms. He still had difficulty finding words, running out of breath because of how fast he was trying to get his words out and how much he was still crying.

"I'm scared that one day, I'll wake up, stumbling upon the news that you're dead, and that you're gone. The person who really understood me the most, in a snap of a finger, will be long gone. I-I-," he rasped, averting his gaze to her and surely, she can see how vulnerable he is right now. If she can compare him to something, she can see him as a vulnerable child, which she hated to see.

"I don't fucking want that. Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Katsuki calm do-" She's about to touch him when he only silenced her, "Don't touch me!" Hiccuping from all the emotions he just burst out in one go, he continued, "Haru can give dreams. But, why you? Of all people, why Haru? I've been asking myself for numerous times. You've got a big road to take on but because I am a bastard-a fucking useless mutt-everything came crushing down!"

"That's why, I'm not going to let you take another dumbass risk that could leave me without you, so fuck you!" he spat back at her. "You don't get to do that to me!"

She flinched by hearing those powerful words.

"So, when I found out that your legs aren't that good anymore, when the doctor told us that you should quit before anything happens..."

"Katsuki?"

"I don't know what to do anymore! These things happened to you all because of me. If only I was stronger, if only I was able to protect you then you don't have to give up everything. It's my fault every single thing of it."

"Katsuki, it's not! It's not your fault!"

"Shut the fuck up! I felt guilty because I failed you and your parents. That's why, if you have to toss everything away then I'll do it also. I don't deserve to be the only one who is happy."

"W-What?"

"I won't become a hero..." His sharp words caused a long pang in her chest, causing her to be breathless. Then, in a split second, Katsuki began to slowly storm out of the place and is about to leave her alone. Upon seeing him escaping away from his feelings, she hurriedly tried to drive her wheelchair towards his direction while screaming for him to wait for her.

"Wait!"

But, Katsuki tried to shrug away her cries, proceeding to walk out of the rooftop.

"I said wait!" Panicking about the turn of events, she didn't realize that her wheelchair began to tick on the side for a bit causing her to fly and land on the floor with a loud thud. The impact made Katsuki alarmed by her situation, running towards her as he observes that she's trying her best to prop herself up. Then, he began to notice her rapid breathing and depletion of oxygen.

"Hey, Haru. Shit! I'm going to take you to the hospital right no-"

With a shaky grasp, she gently pressed her palms against the sides of his face. Her gentle orbs meeting with his crimson eyes. Her eyes are so different in moments like these, more soft than he knew eyes could be. "I finally get to touch you," she whispered, crying softly, "I miss you so much." Then, she switches herself to wrap her warm arms to him, giving him a big tight hug.

"If it's anyone's fault, then it's not yours. It should be the villains."

His breathing becomes softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the morning light. His body squirms just a little as his muscles relax. There is something about that gaze of hers he'll never find in another person. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. He let his body sag, his muscles become loose. She gave him the respect of an equal but cradled him like a cherished child. In that embrace he felt his worries loose their keen sting and his optimism raise its head from the dirt. Perhaps the hope had been there all along, but without some love it was trapped, like crystals in a stone. He felt her brush his hair back with her piano player fingers.

In that moment, the monster who clouded his mind and chest for months disappeared right on the bat.

"Take a deep breath, Katsuki." She smiled, almost similar to the light that clears a path in his dark premise, "You have me. You have me, I won't leave you. I won't die. I'm strong you know? Stronger than what you think."

"Shit, I'm... I'm... a disappointment. You're just a normal girl, and yet..." He bawled, wrapping his arms around her as well.

"I hated it. I hated how you never visited me." As she began to spill out her feelings as well, she could feel the desolating tears spilling down her pale cheeks, dropping down to the cold cement. "I felt incomplete. The angry bastard who kept on cursing all around the place, telling me that I'm an idiot, isn't by my side when I woke up. Somehow, I can't think of a life without you, stupid."

 ** _I'm a moron._**

 ** _A bastard._**

 ** _An asshole._**

 _Why did I fucking left her?_

 _Why did I let her face the whole situation alone?_

"I've decided to undergo the surgery," she announced, making him a bit surprised by her sudden action, "Although, my guardian doesn't allow me to do it. I'll try to persuade him."

"It's fucking dangerous, stupid. What if you fucking left me for dead again!?"

"No matter what happens, I'll become a hero. I won't die." She hushed him, patting her spiky hair as she closed their distance between each other, "I won't. I promise."

"You better keep that shit."

"I'm going to struggle as hard as I can. Struggle, struggle, struggle, like there's no tomorrow. Because, after all, just seeing your mischievous grin when you talk about heroes and winning, made me want to aspire to be a great one as well. I'm not giving dreams, Katsuki. You just gave me this desire to cling to the time that I spend with you. Aren't you going to struggle, too? We're so good at overcoming our differences, you know. I'm not quitting to become a hero, I'm just going to held back a year to set up my stage as a pro hero, remember that. It's just that this year is Bakugou Katsuki's year. I am excited to see how you defeat the villains, merge victorious in all circumstances and overcoming all of it. Be a hero, not because of me, but because of yourself. The guy that I look up to, I wanted you to become a great hero. I love the way you pursue your dreams.

 _That is Bakugo Katsuki._ "

Realization hit him like a truck. Her simple words brightens up his whole dark and misty path. It felt like he is rejuvenated from all the panic attacks that he has been encountering lately. Chiharu is really the only one who could cure him

"It's too late. Today is the last day of-"

"It's not impossible for a guy named Bakugou Katsuki...The worst thing you can do is nothing! Nothing comes to does who do nothing." She smiled, as she started to take notice how her vision is failing her. Guessing from that occurrence, she guessed that too much stress isn't that good for her. Dark spots enveloped her vision but nonetheless, she tried to say out the words she wanted to say, "You're not him if you'll just give up. I will do my best to catch up so do not hold back and become one-the greatest of all." Then, the next few words left her stammering, "So, so... I'm so scared. I'm so scared... Don't leave me alone..." Loud ecstatic whimpers flooded the place, making her bury her face to his face. She missed him so much and she didn't want him to leave her again. Afterwards, her vision began to fade her, panting heavily to herself as she squirmed for his warm, "I guess, I have to sleep. Thank you, Katsuki."

Just like that everything went blank.

 _I'm stupid._

She's annoying. She's irritating. She bugs me a lot. She always catches me off guard. She is always filled with surprises. Her smile contains a contagious disease and a person might get infected by it. Her presence seemed to be like the sun itself.

I hated the sun.

But this sun, might not be that bad.

She's the Haru... that I really missed.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door of the rooftop is a familiar jet-black haired guy with a pair of striking red eyes and a curly-green haired boy with green eyes, smiling softly to themselves as they heard everything from them.

"Well, Kirishima-kun, next time, please tell us if you plan to do this again." He sheepishly smiled, "Honestly, I felt like I was going to die."

Eijirou apologized, "Sorry, Midoriya. I just can't tell you because she told me not to."

He gasped, "Eh why?"

He replied,"She said that as much as she wanted to, you're a worry wart and that you might ruin the plan."

Izuku pouted, sighing heavily, "Geez, good thing her guardian didn't get mad."

"W-Well, he was. However, he told us to come and drag that Bakugou-kid's butt to him."

"Wow, Kacchan will be surely dead meat."

"I think he'll let him ask the permission for Chiharu-chan's surgery. Well, just a guess?" Eijirou stated, then suddenly a soft smile escaped his lips, "Plus, she told me a lot of things from encountering her."

"E-Eh?"

"I guess..." Eijirou hummed, grinning at him, "I'll try to become one... a hero that is."

Izuku gleamed over his declaration, happily returning a cheer for him, "Wow, you're also aiming to become a hero! That's amazing! Truly, your quirk is suited for saving people and having a courageous heart."

Unexpectedly, Eijirou's smile turned into a serious one, killing the atmosphere between the two of them, "Midoriya, will that Bakugou-kid kill me?"

"Eh? Why?"

"I..." He inhaled sharply, making a declaration, "I'm going to steal Chiharu-chan from him."

* * *

Author's Note:

I guess it's been a while? *sweatdrops* I know it's so late already! But I tried to make it up for everyone by writing 4k+ words for today. My life has been busy because of well, school works and lots of stuff has been bugging me. Yeah, it's hard to balance stuff and writing words that will suit for this scene. And as expected, I literally suck. Forgive me.

My beta reader has been busy soOooo gotta deliver this chappie with my cursed misspelled and grammar issued chappie. But I tried to review it, clearing all the unnecessary mistakes. However, don't worry because I know that he/she will return after all of her work so he/she will betaread it in no time.

Recently, I've been attacked by lots of flames. When I say lots, I mean long and various amount of flames in this fanfic. I know my english is bad but I am striving to improve it. And everyone has the privilege to enhance their own writing skills. But please, if u gotta flame, don't flame the readers as well. I rly don't get the issue behind flames. If you don't like the story then stop reading it. I know no matter how hard I write, it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I'll still try my best to be a good writer! SoOoo, yep, I accept constructive criticisms but not flames lol.

To that anon who told me that I should stop writing this story because this sucks. But sorry, sucks to say but I am continuing it LOL gotta push push push HAHAHAHAHA

Next chappie will be Aizawa and Katsuki's confrontation. And a bit of Eijirou's confrontation with our lil' Haru~ Lol, is that a confession in the end or...?

No guys, this won't be a harem. I promise HAHHAAHAHAHAHAH.

Please comment down your thoughts! Thank you so much


	24. Chapter 24: Please Let Us

Chapter 24: Please Let Us

* * *

 _When I was four years old, I got lost in a forest, with a single piece of packet of cookies, I was bewildered and afraid with what will happen next to me. Tears threatened to spill down to my cheeks as I muttered some positive encouragement that I can do it on my own and someone will find me. Trying to sound courageous, as the dusts of my feet were the ones heard all over the place, I coincidentally met a man. He was on his teens._ _He has messy light blue hair, dry, cracked, and uneven lips as if he's been chewing on them. The skin around his eyes is very wrinkly and dull._

 _"Mister, what's wrong? Are you lost too?"_

 _He looked at me with those terrifying bloody crimson eyes that could pierce any soul. Any normal person would run away from the sight of his figure, but I never did. He asked me why am I not running away? Why am I not scared with how he looks? No matter what he looks, I never got scared, I don't know why-but I am deeply enticed with how he look._

 _I shook my head and mumbled, "No, I'm not."_

 _He was a bit surprised for a second then held out a large knife, pointing it within the skin of my neck, chuckling within his actions, "Even if I do this?"_

 _"No, I'm not."_

 _"What about I whack your head on the spot? Will you scream in agony? Will you regret that you even approach me?"_

 _"Mister, you won't do that because I know you're not a bad-" The blade of the knife began to touch my skin, blood trickling down my neck but my gaze never left him._

 _"With my quirk, I can turn you to ashes in an instant. I don't have time to deal with your pesky little shits."_

 _"Mister," I breathe, "You seemed like you need help."_

 _The man froze for a moment, but immediately spoke out, "Shut up. You don't know anything. The one who needs help is you."_

 _"Are you going to help me?"_

 _"If it will make you shut the fuck up, I will."_

 _I cheered, "Yehey, I'll give you this cookie as a sign of our friendship!" Then, gently handling the packet to him where he shrugged in response and started to walk ahead of me. I took it as a sign to follow him. Happily skipping my feet next to him, I could only faintly see his features from below because he is wearing a black hoodie. However, it didn't stop from maveling the way his pale hand looks; it seemed like it had a great story behind it._

 _In the midst of our walk, the man suddenly asked me, "What do you think of society as of now?"_

 _As if on cue, my eyes turned blank and my heart squeezed in anger. Suddenly, it brought me to the time where I kept on hearing those same hateful words coming from them. Even though, there are people who tried to fit in, reality isn't a world field with sweet spices._

 _Just like the time where my dad died..._

 _People like them are..._

 _"Scums." I paused, "Everyone is a scum in their own way."_

 _"What makes them a scum?"_

 _"Quirks, as we've come to know them, decide whether a good person could be great or not and I hate how it measures us." To avert the topic, I noticed that I was led outside the forest. Jumping ecstatically in my feet, "In exchange for helping me out, I wanted to do something for you." I cheered out giving my brightest smile from my lips. For a while the man shifted his attention away from me, as if avoiding my smiling face. But for a few seconds, jolted towards me to give me his answer._

 _"When we meet again," the man paused, whispering eerily to my ears, "I'll come and get you." Then, he proceeded to pat my head with only his four fingers as he carefully lifted up his pink for me not to be able to get affected by his quirk, "For the mean time, be a good girl and wait for me."_

* * *

Chiharu's opens her eyes suddenly, snapping away from the dream that she had. The fragments of what she just dreamed where still there, trying to recall that man's features and his voice. Although she tried to wrack her brain for memories, it seemed like she doesn't have any memories of him at all. But, whatever happens, she knew that guy is a dangerous one and she wanted to slap her younger self for interacting with such a guy.

"Chi-chan! You're finally awake!" Izuku called out, assisting her to prop herself up. Upon hearing his gentle voice, Chiharu finally snapped out from her train of thoughts and traveled her eyes all over the room. Her purple eyes wasn't able to spot the familiar ash-blonde everywhere causing her to get worried for a bit. Good thing, Izuku noticed her reaction and reassured her, "If you're looking for Kacchan, he's with your guardian."

"Sorry Izuku for keeping quiet. Today is UA's last day and I wanted to give him a push." She frowned for what she did. Of course, not telling about her best friend about her scheme makes her a bit guilty. However, Izuku smiled giggly to him rubbing her hand gently, "It's alright but next time do tell me about it, alright? I almost tried to call the cops."

Nodding with a smile across to her lips, she can't help but mentally cheer for Katsuki to convince her guardian to do it. Shota is a bit strict when it comes to her friends and she hopes that he'll see the side of the ash-blond where he really cares for her.

"Ah, by the way, where's Eiji? I have to thank him!" She shuffled within her blankets, trying to signal Izuku to help her get to Eijirou.

Izuku's smile faded, biting his lower lip in response. Questioning himself whether it's a bit selfish for him to make Eihirou distance from Chiharu, now that everything is back to normal between Katsuki and Chiharu. Katsuki needs Chiharu. Chiharu needs Katsuki. Just like that, they complement both of their mishaps and flaws with each other. Izuku knows that the ash-blond has a great respect and some sort of infatuation with the girl, even though he hasn't realized yet. And knowing Katsuki, he won't ever stand some guys trying to ask for Chiharu's hand other than him.

"Ah, err... Chi-chan, I have a question." He tried to dodge the question, "What are your thoughts about Kirishima-kun?"

"Eiji? Why?"

"Just curious."

"Eiji is a good guy! He is a guy filled with determination. Somehow, I really wanted to be like him." Chiharu told him, smiling giggly towards him.

"You are..." He paused, "fine the way you are." With the way Izuku delivered his statement made her feel something is off with him.

Her smile faded into a bland one, reaching for Izuku's hand and asked, "Izu-chan, do you have something against Eiji?"

* * *

"Why won't you allow Haru to undergo a surgery?" Katsuki's crimson eyes jerked towards Shota's deadfish eyes. No normal person could resist how the ash-blond's unwavering fiery eyes could kill them except that Shota isn't an ordinary person. He tried to remain compose despite of all the protest raging to his brain that he wanted to explode Chiharu's guardian's head for some reasons.

"I am her guardian and I make decisions, " Shota spat, "The surgery is too risky for her body. Do you even know what will be it's effects to her or you're just spouting nonsense because you wanted her to stand by your side as usual?"

Katsuki gulped. Her guardian is a bit rash and direct to the point. Even though he seemed like a dumbasss, he tried to sound respectful since one mistake could lead to Haru's effort be wasted. However, he wasn't amused by the adult's reaction. He gets it. It's risky. He knows. But, he trusts her because she promised-she won't die. So, he has to suck it up and go over his limits, "And in the end, Haru is her own and is not a brat anymore. Let her make her own decisions."

"What if she can't have a hang on it?"

"Bullshit!" He slammed his fists towards the table in front of him, gritting his teeth furiously as he spat back, "Haru's not weak as you think off! She's a strong woman! I have known her ever since we're freaking kids-ever since we were born! How about you? When did you even met her? When she's in this fuck-up situation? Don't even pretend that you even know her when you don't know anything!"

"Look here, it doesn't mean that you know her since you're kids, you'll know everything about her." Shota's short statement makes the blonde flinch within himself. Arching an eyebrow, Shota began to be straightforward with his words, "Just seeing your attitude makes me not to let her be near to you ever again. "

He murmured in disbelief,"What the hell?"

"On what sense do you think a teenager like you swears in front of her guardian? Does that make any sense? It makes me feel like you're a bad example for her. Plus..." He inhaled sharply, scowling a bit to scare off the blonde, "You've been away for months and never let yourself appear in front of her. Now you're here asking for me to let her go into that surgery? Aren't you selfish?"

That's it. As much as he wanted to spat out multitude of curses on how a bastard her guardian is, he can't because Shota is damn right. He knew it from the start that he's been selfish all this time. He left; not thinking about her situation. He just wanted for her to be with him. But he couldn't even give anything to her at all and honestly speaking, Chiharu can live alone without him. However, for him, a life without Chiharu is meaningless and utter shit.

"You didn't know how much she cried, how much she suffered and how much she needed someone to rely on. Then, you're telling me you know her when you don't even know what happened?" Shota could recall the times he eavesdrop during the evening, hearing her soft sobs and calls for the guy in front of him. He knew Katsuki ever since the incident and he knew how they cherish each other. But this time, he wanted to give a good scolding for this guy because of what he did. The ash-blond's scowls deepened, clicking his tongue for the umpteenth time. He knew where this is going.

The bastard won't let her take the surgery.

The whole atmosphere began to darken, emitting a negative aura all over the place. Usually, the blond would have spouted nonsense already but Shota knew everything that he said was right. The tables will turn if and only if the guy in front of him will lower his pride and will show how precious she is to him.

"If you don't have anything to say, so be it. I won't let her take the surgery and that's final." He bluntly stated, making the blond flinch in his position. His declaration made the explosive teen a bit frantic; he knows he should do something but he really is angry towards her guardian. He wanted to say to Shota how fuck up he is and how he is a huge asshole. But he can't when he knows, the bastard will make the decisions whether he'll allow her or not.

What will Haru do in this situation?

Abruptly, right in the moment, he is reminded on how Chiharu cried right in front of him a while ago. Just a little frown from her will make his whole world break. He won't ever do that again.

"Fuck..." He mumbled as he began to gaze Shota heading towards the door as if it is in a slow motion.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Fuck, don't..."

Shota is about to twist the door knob open when Katsuki stood up and slammed his fist in the table, yelling towards him, "I am NOT yet done talking with you, bastard!" His immediate roar made the older guy shift his attention upon the glaring explosive teen. Gulping within himself, he knew he'll do something fuck up. He knew that right in this moment he would never to tell everyone what he'll do in the next few moments.

"If it's about Haru, I'm willing to give up everything." He spoke softly, erasing all the cuss within his mind for a moment. This made Shota a bit surprised when he saw how Katsuki began to speak whole-heartedly.

"What I wanted to say, this is not because of me, well fuck myself. I have been selfish all these time and I hated how I left her to deal things alone. I only focused to myself because I am being a coward... All her life she's been trying to help me, put a smile on my face and support me with all her got. All she did was to give everything to me. That's why... I ask you... let her be selfish for this time."

 _Haru always encourages me when things became tough._

 _She acknowledged me as a mere normal kid._

 _She told me that I am fit to be a hero and not a villain._

 _The one who is there when no else was is her._

 _"_ I know I fuck up real bad. I left because I was scared. I left because I have this guilt within me and I still harbor the same guilt. But, I just realized that I am just doing this for my goddamn self and not for her. I know I am an asshole. I know. But, I wanted to make amends for her. Haru is fucking special to me. She is and will always be... that's why..."

"If anything happens to her," He paused as he gulped heavily to himself. If it involves the person he cares for he is willing to do anything even if swallowing all his pesky pride. Closing his eyes while exhaling deeply, he bend his body and bowed in front of Shota causing the older man to be surprise. He knows that the moment he met the ash-blond, he is an inflatable ball of ego but when it comes to Chiharu he is really willing to do everything. Katsuki continued, "I'll be taking the responsibility but... I trust Haru. I know nothing will happen since she can send this illness away. But please, let her take the surgery."

 **I'll make her dreams come true.**

 **We will be heroes-together.**

Shota let out a small smile across his lips, surrendering with his out most strength. Nothing really beats Katsuki's tender care when it comes to Chiharu and seeing his dedication for her made him change his opinion to him from a rude brat into a slightly rude brat. He snickered, "Well then, raise your head, Bakugou."

Katsuki raised his head, and is a bit curious about his reaction, "What the hell is funny?"

"Congratulations, you have passed the test."

"What?!"

Shota plastered his ever-known sadistic smile, showing the permission slip signed by his own signature. With a hefty grin, he began to explain, "I just wanted to see how much she means to you. Even if you didn't manage to convince, I will still do it however, the mere fact you can't convince me will result for you not being able to see her again."

"Goddamn it, fucking sadistic bastard!" He roared, gnashing his teeth.

"Also, don't you ever curse again, Bakugou. You'll soon meet me again, if ever, you'll pass UA." Shota casually stated which made him a bit puzzled by his choice of words.

"What the hell are you saying?!"

Then, Shota began to pull out the application form from the back of the permission slip, "Chiharu gave this to me. Well, she sure knows how to tame a wild guy like you."

Katsuki couldn't believe for a second; When did Chiharu get a hold of his application form? Or was it his shitty mother schemes after all? With all this new revelations in his mind, he couldn't process anything at all.

Shota smirked, remembering how Chiharu pleaded for the sake of her best friend. Watching Katsuki registering everything in his own hands made him learned how special their bond is.

* * *

It was yesterday evening when Chiharu dragged Eijirou with her to convince Shota for the umpteenth time to let her take the surgery. It was awkward for Eijirou upon seeing the whole atmosphere getting negative and filled with coldness.

"Eraserhead, why won't you let me take the surgery?" She asked, this time without any hint of radiance within herself. Shota immediately knew where this is heading so he sat up, shifting his deadfish eyes towards her and replied, "It's dangerous. The doctors said that there are only little chances of survival. There's no way I will risk that chance."

 _There's no way he'll let someone die within his hands again. He'll protect Ryuuji and Taira's daughter at all cost. He will._

"Then, risk it." Her short but blunt words caused him to shatter from his train of thoughts. Just seeing her cold stare and voice makes him remind of that one person whom he failed to saved-Taira. She looks exactly her. And the moment he realizes that, he knew everything will fuck up. He couldn't say 'no' to the determined face of Chiharu when she looks exactly like her.

"No, I won't." He sighed, he better get this thing straight. He better have the self-control to stop thinking about her parents this time, "I have lost two of my friends already. I failed not once but twice. There's no way I'll do the same thrice, right?"

"Chiharu-chan, you have to stop pu-" Eijirou was completely thrown over by Chiharu's interruption

"You did not failed. You never failed." Her eyebrows furrowed, purple orbs began to blend within the night sky. Her stature reflected with full determination and confidence which leave him in awe.

"Don't ever tell me that you failed to protect them when they choose the path where they walked in. My dad died protecting an innocent child and my mom died because of protecting me. They died in a heroic sense. They did not died for a failure. They chose something they are proud of. And, whether I die in the surgery or not, you didn't fail. I know, Eraserhead, you are worried. Because you felt something within you that you are responsible for me but, let me take this opportunity to fulfill something that I wanted to do all my life."

Shota sighed. He already knew where this is going. Just hearing how her words began to muse his ears, he knew that he is completely defeated. He can see the reflection of Ryuuji when they're still young. He can mirror Taira's determination. These two still existed.

Chiharu brought out something within her and gave it to Shota. It is the UA Application Form of Katsuki which made the older man confused.

"I got the consent of her parents. And I am sure, Katsuki always wanted to become a hero. He refuses to see me because he felt like he did something wrong that's why I wanted to show him that I will always be here with him. Please, let us be heroes together..." She tried to bend her body for a bow which made Eijirou a bit anxious and helped her with her sudden action.

* * *

Shota sighed for the umpteenth time. These two brats will be the death of him. They're filled with determination and compassion with each other. And he knows that these two will be more than that, they will be people who will be the hope of this world.

"Damn it, Haru." Katsuki mumbled, but couldn't hide the smirk within his face.

"Chiharu is in her room, you can tell her these things." Shota deadpanned, watching Katsuki racing over the exit, excited about the news. But was halted when he called out the explosive teen for the last time, "By the way, Bakugou..."

"What?! I am busy, damn it!"

"Don't ever leave her like that again."

Katsuki got the message. Of course, he won't. Hell, he won't ever do it ever again. But, somehow, he needs to do something before reuniting to her just like that. Guilt is always been there. Knowing that, everything won't be marshmallows and sweet shit at once.

"I fucking will."

Just like that, he swiftly headed where her room is.

* * *

Chiharu is a bit troubled as of now. She felt like something is off with Izuku and Eijirou which she couldn't guess. Was it when she didn't tell him that she has a plan with Eijirou? Was Izuku angry with the fact that Eijirou agreed with her plan? There are lots of things she wanted to ask but her friend left her hanging when he changed the flow of the conversation a while ago. As of now, she is alone within her room silently praying whether Katsuki convinced Shota about her operation.

Exhaling for the umpteen time, she tried to look all over her room to find something that could relieve her boredom. But then, the door swiftly opened with a loud bang, revealing a panting Katsuki within her line of sight. Widening her eyes in surprise, she began to blink for a few times, processing the flow of events.

"K-Katsuki! Why are you-"

"You passed my fucking application without my permission. You pesky idiot!" Katsuki screamed, shutting the door closed as he headed towards her bed and sat on a chair beside it.

"More i-importantly-" Chiharu tried to ditch the question but he retorted back, "More importantly?! What the fucking-"

"Did he approved?" She asked softly, but deep inside her she knows how fast her heart beats with his answer. Katsuki looked through her eyes for a bit then shrugged, "Yeah, I fucking convinced the asshole."

With the words that rang within her ears, it felt like she was in heaven. Eventually, her eyes dampened, releasing a soft chuckle from her lips. Everything went warm and still. Finally, after all the numerous struggles everything is settled. She'll take the surgery. She'll have another ticket towards her goal.

"Haru," He called out. The petrol blue-haired girl stopped from her fantasy, snapping back to reality when she didn't noticed that Katsuki pulled her closer to him wrapping his arms around her. His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her frail body. The world around her melted away as she squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end.

Katsuki buried his head within the crook of her neck which made her blush for a bit. She loved how she is comfortable to his presence. She loved the way he shows this side of him to her only. If only she could be selfish, she wanted to not let this thing end.

"I'm glad this really is not a dream..." He mumbled within her neck, tightening his grip around her.

"I am alive, you know." She chuckled.

Katsuki retreated his arms from her, as much as he wanted not to let the moment sieze, he has to because he has to tell something important. Breathing heavily, he knew the next few words will make her sad but he has to do this in order to make things good. His eyes hovered over her legs which made a slight pang within his chest. It still hurts him to see how her legs led her into.

"For the next few words I'll tell you, hopefully, you'll understand what I'll do..." He told her seriously which made her nod, signifying him to let the conversation continue.

"I don't know but I still have an issue upon seeing your legs. It's like there's guilt within me and I felt like I have to prove something."

"But you don't have to..." She mumbled, frowning upon his remark.

"I fucking know. But, let me..."

"Fine, so what will you prove?"

"I will dominate UA."

Those words made her eyes broaden in surprise. She couldn't even form any words within her mouth, "E-Eh?"

"In UA, I'll be number one-the greatest of all. I'll immerse myself in training and becoming great. I'll be fucking stronger than anyone else to be able to protect you with no fail." He paused, frowning to his next few words, "So, if ever I pass UA, _I have to disappear again_."

As much as she wanted to tell him what she wanted to say she can't, she has to be strong. But, hearing the word 'disappear' just kills the happiness within her. Katsuki came back already and now he has to leave again. Why? Honestly, she hates the idea. But, if it needs for him to overcome the guilt residing her, she'll swallow everything and agree. By the way things are going, she couldn't help but think of that question again.

Are you going to leave me again?

But she didn't bother to ask at all.

"Okay... If that's what you want." She stated, trying to smile her brightest.

"Sorry..."

"Then, I have to do my best in my surgery!" She tried to change the atmosphere and cheer things up, "I'll schedule my surgery on the same date of the exam. While your busy, I am going to overcome and catch up to you!"

"I won't be able to visit you since I'll intensely train myself for the 4 months."

"Don't worry... I understand... So..." Abruptly, she tried to pull him into her bed which made the ash-blond bewildered by her sudden aggressiveness. A hefty grin flashed within her mouth, she began to intertwine their hands together. Her aggressiveness made Katsuki blush deeply. He even thought that his face was on fire.

"W-Wha-What the fuck are you doing!? We're not some old couple or shit. Hell, we're not even dating! Fuck! Let go, damn it!" He tried to deny it. He really did. But deep inside him, he knows he likes her aggressiveness. The continuous pounding of his chest are evident to the point that he wanted to rip the organ out of his rib cage. He suddenly felt awkward, demure, and coy; even going as far as attempting to hide his rosy features behind his fingers.

Then, Chiharu leaned her head to his shoulders as she began to flutter his eyes close. Slurring softly to the guy next to her, "Spoil me for this day, Katsuki. I will really miss you..." She cuddles in, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, the rhythmic noise slowing his own breathing. Katsuki's hand lets go of her hand and travels on her hair; the soporific effect is irresistible, bringing sleep. As she laid there, completely content, she began to get hazy. Sleepy. Her eyes dropped, and her mind began drifting. Wholly absorbed in this snug, cozy place that magically existed in Katsuki's arms. And as she drifted, almost fully entrenched in the world of sleep, she could've sworn she felt something plant within her head and hear someone speak.

The ash-blond didn't even realized, as his body moved at his own accord, planted a soft peck at the top of her head and murmured, "Idiot, I won't leave you alone."

* * *

"Kirishima-kun, I have to get to the point... About you telling me that you plan to steal Chi-chan from him... Can you... please leave them alone?"

Izuku and Eijirou are currently in the hospital's rooftop. With the serious ambiance going around them, Izuku tried to swallow his anxiety and tried to voice out his opinion to his friend.

"W-Woah, there. Why?" Eijirou stuttered, completely confused by his words

Eventually, Izuku spoke up, "Kacchan and Chi-chan are happy the way things are going. Everything has been a complete mess for month. Can you... leave Kacchan's sunshine alone?"

This time, Eijirou's smile dropped. He knew what he wanted to say.

"I-I know this is something selfish but, I am asking a great favor..." Izuku waved his hands furiously in front of him, disclaiming that he never intended to be rude to him.

Furrowing his eyebrows in complete disbelief, he tried to make the next few words inviting to the green-haired guy in front of him, "Umm... Err... Sorry Midoriya but I don't want to ignore the fact that this Bakugou guy left her alone. He made her sad. Without Chiharu-chan's move maybe they won't ever talk again, this only signifies that he never intended to talk things out. Sorry for this but... it sounds like Chiharu-chan is tied up with him. Does her world only revolve around him?"

Izuku gulped heavily. This is getting too intense. And he knows that the next few words will make their friendship a bit awkward.

Eijirou broke the ice, "Sorry but I had enough. I really like her and I don't plan to give a way to someone who don't deserve her that much."

* * *

OH MY GOSH. It's been a month since I published a chapter. AND I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT, I TRIED TO UPDATE BUT FAILED! So, I tried to write a long-ass chapter to make up to you guys! Thank you for the lovely comments you published from the previous chapters and obviously it made me hella happy. Anyway, since I got my drawing tab ((hooray)) I'll try to publish some chappies with some sulky arts ((hopefully will make things up LOL))

HAPPY 2K+ HEARTS BTW! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! We've come this far and I will try my best to publish ughhhh good chappies? I tried fluff here ((becoz next chappie will be hella angst)). I really tried and I know I suck. And I know Katsuki is OOC here, I get it. I'm so sorry. I am trying.


	25. Chapter 25: Of Farewells and Apology

Chapter 25: Of Farewells and Apology

* * *

It has been months since Chiharu and Katsuki's confrontation as well as Eijirou's declaration to Izuku. The ash-blonde really worked hard in balancing his studies and his furious training for four months to fulfill his promise that he'll dominate UA. As for Izuku and Eijirou, it has been awkward for the two of them when they meet each other unbeknownst to Chiharu. Though, the curly-green haired guy tried to visit her on time despite his tight schedule with his secret training with All Might plus his cruel struggle with his studies. Fortunately, the trio graduated on time including Chiharu, whom Shota suggested to be taught within the premises of the hospital until their graduation; even if she wasn't able to take a step within her school and graduated by their sides. With all those busy days passing by in a blink of an eye, the night before the entrance exam at the same time her scheduled surgery came.

The night came whispering sweet nothings, luring heat from tired muscles until they could rest no more. It caressed their skin until it stole the pink blush and replaced it with blue. Above was the beauty of the stars, the clear night allowing the meagre heat of the day to leave unhindered. The only notion of brightness came from a full moon, and even her light was a chilled silver beam.

"Tomorrow will be my surgery, Eraserhead..." She said, nearly clutching her chest warily, "Ahhh, I'm so nervous!"

"You'll do fine. Just relax." He said, then added, "I've been wanting to tell you but Chiharu, I'm your guardian, right? So, stop being formal to me. You can call me anything other than my hero name."

A grin spread over Chiharu's face, wide and open, showing her over-whitened teeth, "Really? I'm not really used to it... Eraserhead's name is Aizawa Shota, right? It's written in the consent form."

"Yes, yes."

"Well then," A soft smile stretched to her lips, her eyes flickering and dancing throughout the whole scenery as the next few words she utters are like music to his ears, "Sho...chan? How's that?"

As he watched the moon slowly ascend into the night sky through the parted curtains I watched it's soft, ivory light shimmer through the space of my curtains, illuminating her petrol-blue strands and sparkling purple orbs. The moonlight was a diffuse ocean above them, lessening the inky blackness of the night, but not so bright as to dull the stars that speckled and glittered in the heavens above. At this very moment, the woman that Shota really wanted to see know reflected within his eyes. Instead of seeing Chiharu, Taira appeared within his line of sight which made his heart beat fast. The tender eyes he always looked upon when they are in high school. The soft smile that caresses his heart heart all the time that he sees that. Everything went back to that time.

 _Taira...?_

But the sudden call of Chiharu made him snap back to the bitter reality that Taira is no longer with him. The sudden void within his chest return back to him, screeching and echoing all throughout his minds. The guilt that he is trying to bury from his thoughts took over him.

"But I also call Todoroki-san 'Sho-chan' so I have to change it to something cute like 'Todo-chan' or Todocchi..." She mumbled to herself, and upon hearing that familiar name made him question her, "Todoroki? Do you know him?"

"Y-Yes? W-Why?"

"Did you meet him?"

"Yes, he bought me." Her straight and blunt words caused him to widen his eyes in surprise.

"What?!"

"I-I mean," She pauses, trying to clear out the misunderstanding she just caused with her own words, "There's an auction in our school then he coincidentally bought me for a dance, that's all."

"The next time he tells you about something negative, don't ever believe in him."

"A-Alright, Sho-chan!"

The sudden 'nickname' brought memories to him that he didn't notice how he frowns by her words. It wasn't that he is unhappy, he just misses how the girl he loved calls him like that.

"A-Ah, are you unhappy that I call you Sho-chan?! S-Sorry!" Clasping her hands together, she could feel the regret that she even mentioned that name because for some reasons she felt that that nickname holds something dear to him.

"It's alright, I'm used to it that's what your mother calls me." He deadpanned, hiding away all the feelings he has for her mother. Of course, he knows that it's bad for him to showcase to her that he still likes her in front of her. It felt like he is betraying his best friend, Ryuuji, for doing that act. He will be bringing these feelings with him until he dies.

"Then, I won't."

"Huh?" He gasps, gazing upon her strong fiery purple orbs.

"That's what Mom calls you, right?" She mumbled, then continued, "I should have an exclusive one for me. After all, that nickname seems to be so precious to you."

"No, it's alright. It's the only memory I have with her, might as well have someone use it again." He tried to reassure her, which made her nod in his consent. Suddenly, she exhaled heavily as she began to fully gaze upon the multitude amount of stars twinkling within the night sky, " Tomorrow, I will be able to have the chance to walk again, huh? Do you think I will be able to survive? Even though you know there are only 40% chances of survival... I didn't even tell Katsuki that I am fighting a losing battle but still you trusted me..."

"It's simple." He blurted out, making her turn towards his confident tone, "You are that stubborn guy's daughter. From the start, you are fighting a losing battle but still, even if you are aware of it, you kept on struggling and eventually winning the battle."

Her mouth slowly went wide upon his choice of words. Shota sighed heavily, bending forward to reach up to her head and rub it gently, "You survived the villain attack with 0% chances of living. Then, again, you will survive this surgery with 100% chances of living. Ryuuji's still not welcoming you up there so you better win this battle. After all, we will still find your mother."

The heartwarming encouragement he gave her somehow filled her the energy she needed to pounce frowning anxious heart. A smile stained up her lips, replying to him, "Thank you, Sho-chan! I'm glad that you're my guardian."

He only nodded to her response, signaling her that it's bed time and she needs the energy for her surgery. Tucking her into her warm mattress, as he helps her to move under her blanket for a comfortable position, Chiharu bids him a sweet Good Night before dozing off. Then, Shota proceeds to sit within a chair by her side and murmured, "No one's going to leave."

* * *

Today the sunlight conjured the most brilliant of mosaics, reflecting from each leaf and wisp of cloud. It was as if there was a pure joy in the light, as if it were happy to create art where it shone, warm and steady. It was as the smiles of friends, as fresh rain after summer sun, something to quench and soothe all at once.

"You don't really have to come and wait until my surgery! It takes a ton of hours, you know. It's boring!"

Shota hissed, glaring down to her supposedly 'daughter' for pushing him away, "I don't care as your guardian I have to watch over you."

However, Chiharu tried to stop him from spending time with her. She gets that Shota is worried about her, but the Principal needed him right now for their upcoming students. Plus, she wants someone to watch over her friends while she's gone, "You have to watch over Katsuki, Izu-chan and Eiji's exams! Plus, I've been getting your work hours because of me. The principal requests you to be there right? You can come midway!"

Shota understands her enough. Though, he is torn between his decision between dropping by and being there for her surgery. Thinking twice about his answer finally he replied with a solid conclusion,"Ugh, fine. But, I'll only drop by for some potential candidates afterwards. You have your smartphone right? Tell me when you're about to undergo the surgery. I have to go." Rolling his eyes over her for the umpteenth time, he left the room swiftly. As soon as she heard the door close, she immediately pulled out her smartphone and messages her favorite ash-blond.

 **[ Haru || 7: 10 ]**

Good Morning Mr. Explodo~

Ugh

Shouldn't you be awake already?

Exams starts at 8:00, right?

 **[ Jerk || 7: 13]**

I. AM. AWAKE.

So stop fucking texting me early in the morning

I'm on my fucking way to UA

Now get rest

Dumbass

 **[ Haru || 7:15 ]**

You don't really have to add the last part, geez

Where's Izu-chan

Aren't you supposed to act like good friends and go to UA together?

 **[ Jerk || 7: 16 ]**

I'm not good fucking friends with that shit

Who gave you that idea?

 **[ Haru || 7:17 ]**

I have my eyes on you even if I'm not there

MR. BAKUGO KATSUKI 눈_눈

 **[ Jerk || 7:17 ]**

I'm not his fucking mom to know his whereabouts

I can see the shit by the entrance

Happy now?

 **[ Haru || 7: 18]**

Yesssss

 **[ Jerk || 7:18 ]**

I'm entering the main hall now

Stop fucking texting

 **[ Haru || 7:19]**

Ahhh wait wait

Before anything else

 **[ Jerk || 7:19]**

What?

Hurry the fuck up

* * *

Suddenly, his phone vibrated, signaling that there's an incoming call from the girl he's chatting for a couple of minutes. Rolling his eyes in complete annoyance, he step back from the entrance of the main hall and answered the call from the petite young lad.

"What?" He deadpanned, waiting for the other line to answer back.

" **Nothing much."**

"What the fucking hell does that even mean? I'm hanging up, good fucking bye!" He's about to let his fingers dance through his phone to hang up to her 'unreasonable call' when Chiharu immediately spoke up in hurry.

 **"A-Ah, w-wait! W-Wait! Don't hang up!"**

"What now?!" He angrily argues, scowling at every student entering the hall.

" **I-I just..."**

"Hurry the fuck up!"

 **"I just wanted to hear your voice for some reasons."**

Immediately, in a speed of light, his irritation towards her depleted in a matter of seconds. He couldn't find the next words he should spout out because of her 'nonsense'; though maybe this is a good time to make himself relax for the exam. He couldn't bring himself to scold at her for wasting his precious time when the hammering of his heart is too visible for him to feel. His cheeks suddenly turned red, refusing to let himself get swallowed by all the pent-up meaningless feelings his chest is setting upon.

 **"Do your best in your exam. Remember, you have to become number one in UA, right? So hurry up and dominate UA then come back to me, stupid."**

"Yeah, I will. Don't worry about me, idiot. Worry about your fucking self, you have a surgery to 'dominate' as well, right?" A small smirk suddenly pave a way across his lips, as if he can see how she chuckles and smiles upon his words. At the same time she cheers for him, he should be returning the favor as well since her surgery is no joke. Admittedly, he is anxious about the whole ordeal, but it happens to stop when Chiharu continuously reminds him that she'll never leave him alone and win.

 **"I will, DAD~"**

 **"** Don't you fucking call me 'Dad', shithead!"

" **Well, I think I've caused you enough trouble. Do your best! I have to hang up! B-"**

 **"** Wait," He halted her farewell for the last second, making her attentively listen to his next thoughts.

 **"Hm? What is it?"**

"Don't leave me the fuck alone."

 **"I won't die.** " She paused, inhaling sharply on the other side of the line, " **After all, you have to build a castle for me for me, right? My king~"**

"W-What the fucking-"

 **"Bye, Katsuki!**

As the petrol-blue haired girl hanged up her phone, Katsuki exhaled deeply on his pace. The call from the pesky idiot somehow got him rejuvenated to get his shit straight and dominate the whole entrance exam. After all, he needs to get stronger in order to become the best and return to her.

 _Haru is fighting as well. I have to give everything to this shit. After all, as she have said, I will fucking build a huge-ass castle for her._

* * *

Chiharu giggled in her hospital bed, hovering her fingers to the screen to make another chat for Izuku. Heaving a deep sigh, she tried to calm her raging heart that is about to explode in a matter of seconds. Just thinking about the surgery did made a number to her emotions; flooding her different kinds of doubts crippling to her mind.

 **You will die.**

 **You won't become a hero.**

 **You'll leave.**

 **You can't do it.**

 **Weak!**

 **Frail!**

 **Fragile!**

"Chiharu-chan!"

Her sudden wave of anxiousness came into a halt when someone called her out of nowhere. Snapping herself away from those eerily thoughts, she turned her attention to the familiar black-haired guy with red eyes; screaming determination and manliness. It was Eijirou and as if he is a good ol' ghost, her eyes broadened in surprise.

"E-Eiji, what are you doing here? Exams starts at 8:00AM, right?! W-Why?!" She stammered by seeing his presence. Though, she's thankful that there's someone who visited her, rather who took the risk to see her, but this is crazy for her.

"I have to wish you luck before the surgery!" He smiles at her, "After all before I go to an all-out battle, I need to see my charm."

"H-Huh?! Did you left your charm within my room? You should have just texted me instead of going all over the way here." She began to squirm within her seat, trying to find anything similar to what he have said. Instead, Eijirou giggled by her attitude, making her snap in his direction and scowled at him bitterly. However, her attempted scowl didn't faze the guy at all but instead broadened his smile more at her.

"W-What's so funny!?" Pouting at his echoing laughter all over the room, finally Eijirou stopped and corrected her mistake, "It's you." Then he added with his sunshine smile, "My charm is you, Chiharu-chan." There was something about the way he smiled; the way butterflies seemed to escape from the pit of her stomach and the way the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there in her heart. He had the kind of smile that made her feel happy to be alive and just that little bit more human. For a split second, the happiness within her is replaced by guilt.

 _It's because her charm is not Eijirou._

"Here," He brought out a knitted a small brown bear, giving it to her warm palms, "I'm not there to cheer for the success of your surgery but with this little guy, maybe, he can guide you all throughout the surgery."

"I don't have anything for you. Sorry. I will just e-mail and call you for a good luck b-but..." She paused, murmuring her last few words, "You're here..."

"You don't need to feel sorry, Chiharu-chan. I wanted to see you. It's my choice. Plus, I get a little bit excited when I tried to knit and stayed up all night." He scratches the back of his hair, does signaling Chiharu the band aids wrapped within his hands. This is just too much for her to take, Eijirou is too sweet for her and she felt like she'll have cavities for his actions. Biting her lip in frustration because she wasn't able to give something for the sweet guy over here, she thought of something in exchange for his kind act, "Eiji, in exchange with this cute bear, I'll do anything to give you some charm? Since you said that I'm your charm?"

"Really? Then..." He hummed and thought of anything he wanted right at this moment, and felt a tiny light bulb lightened up his clouded mind, "Close your eyes!"

"O-Okay..." She slowly closed her eyes, not bothering to sneak a peek because she trusts the guy in front of her.

Eijirou's smiling face faded into a serious one. Observing the pale features of Chiharu as she waited for what he'll do to her, his eyes glanced over her hands and intertwined his fingers with hers. His surprising action sends a wave of warmth to her cheeks, making her squeak softly from what he did. It's just she's not used to him at all. She can do all sorts of cuddles with her best friends; Katsuki and Izuku but intertwining hands with Eijirou did give her a number. A heavy blush crippled within her cheeks, feeling the hammering of her chest continuously. Nevertheless, she remains her eyes shut.

"Chiharu-chan, are you listening?"

"Y-Yes."

"Thank you for making me realize everything."

"Y-Ye-Yes!"

"It's because of you, I'll attend the exam later."

"Y-You don't h-have to... You even go all over the way j-just to s-see me."

She can't help but stutter in her words when she felt the warmth of his hands on top of her.

"If ever I passed the entrance exam and scored within the top 3... I have something important to tell you."

It looked serious.

But she answered, "Alright, I'll wait. Do your best."

"Don't open your eyes yet."

She obliged and kept still within her position.

Suddenly, Eijirou moves his head closer to her. She sits frozen, anticipating the next move he'll do. Abruptly, Eijirou's lips alight on her forehead like a dew freckled petal caught in a breeze, so soft and with the smallest hint of coolness. All it leaves is a little wet mark; a shallow pool of saliva on her forehead. Upon the small touch of his lips, she couldn't help but feel warmth spread through her limbs and her mind feels a pleasant buzz. Squeaking by his sudden move, she opened her eyes hurriedly and saw Eijirou covering his fiery red face with his cheeks. At first, she couldn't register what happened. She thought that maybe, something just touched her forehead, denying that it was a kiss from him. However, by the result of his actions, she already knew the answer. And upon reaching the conclusion, she couldn't help but be dumbfounded by the sequence of the scene; blushing red as a tomato.

 _Eijirou kissed her in the forehead._

"G-G-Good luck on the operation!" He swiftly retrieves his bag on the floor, dashing away from her room, leaving her completely shocked. For a few seconds, the nurse came in the room, and is surprised by the color of her cheeks.

"M-Ms. Aragaki, what happened to you!? Do you have a fever?"

Chiharu couldn't produce a reply at all as she is having a hard time processing everything.

 _W-What just happened?_

* * *

"Achooo!" Katsuki sneezes all of a sudden. His chest tightened from the awry feeling within himself. Did something happened to Chiharu while he is gone or is he just exaggerating things? Needlessly, he traveled all through the mountains of chairs to find his seat number. Finally, after looking over his number, he spotted his original seat but instead of being relieved that he is done with all the bullshit; he didn't. Now that, he is seated with the familiar curly-green haired guy beside him. And that only he founds out that this arrangement is according to their respective schools. Scowling and grumbling to this fuck up situation, he has no choice but to seat beside the scrawny teen and get this over with. His eyes glance over Izuku's belongings seating at the top of the chair beside him which made him curious.

"Put your fucking belongings within the floor, Deku." Katsuki hissed like a venomous snake. The All-for-One user hitched his breath, replying, "N-No one's seating here. P-Plus, I made this seat vacant for Chi-chan."

"Haru?" He asked, "Did your dumbass brain consumed you whole already? We fucking know she's not taking the entrance exam."

"She is." Izuku shot back, "S-She passed the form earlier before us. Though, h-her guardian requested not to make it null though. So that, it was as if she's here, right? Taking the test with us."

For a moment, he hated to admit it, but he agreed with the idea of Izuku. Plus, it would feel like they are making their dreams together. Although, it was a bullshit imagination, he can't help but feel that he wanted to go along with it. Grabbing the paper within his pocket, he scowled at Izuku, as he flinched in return, "If that fucking seat is for Haru, then put your fucking shits on the floor. You're fucking disgracing her seat for goddamn sake!"

"Ah, y-yes!"

"Instead," He pushed the permit towards Izuku's chest and glared at him, "Put her fucking permit on that chair." A while ago, her guardian approached him and gave her permit to him. Although, for a few seconds, he tried to ask him the purpose of the null permit but shrugged it off as he didn't want to make another conversation with the asshole.

Izuku is a bit bewildered at his situation. Normally, Katsuki won't go and make some delusions about Chiharu seating beside them. But he guesses that the curly petrol-blue hair did have a special place in his chest. Though, he didn't bother to ask the spiky ash-blond and placed the permit on her chair.

"WELCOME EVERYONE TO MY LIVE SHOW!"

With that being said all eyes focused within the stage for instructions, however, Izuku couldn't help but smile dearly to himself. He couldn't hide the fact that he is so much joyful to what they've did. Although, it was for a few minutes and a bright imagination, it was as if they're taking the examination together as friends; just like before.

* * *

 **[ Aragaki Chiharu || 9:00 ]**

I'm going to take the surgery now~

Sho-chan (≧◡≦)

 **[ Sho-chan** (´｡• ? •｡`) **|| 9:00]**

ok

be there after a few

 **[Aragaki Chiharu || 9:00]**

You're too lazy to type some text messages

Send me your daily doze of love

DON'T LEAVE ME ON READ

HERY!

*HEY

WISH ME LUCK

GONNA TAKE THE SURGERY NOW

HMPF

See you later

* * *

Shota didn't mind the pile of messages she just texted him a while ago and rolled his eyes. He'll only stay for a few minutes and later on sprint towards the Operation room. For now, he has to inform the principal that he'll be leaving after viewing the candidates. For now, he really wishes that Chiharu will really survive the surgery.

* * *

"Aragaki-san, we will now inject the anesthesia to you so you may not feel anything while taking the operation." The doctor tried reassure her that everything is fine, soothing her with his calm tone.

Chiharu replied softly, "Okay..." Then, she added, "Hey, Doctor. Everything's going to be alright, right? I will survive this, right?"

The doctor answered, "We will try our best."

That vague answer nearly shakes her down to the core. One thing is for sure, everything is in her hands whether she'll be able to hang on or not. Slowly closing her eyes, she recollected all the positive messages she received up until this day and hopefully she'll still be able to hold onto those words.

 _Katsuki might be defeating tons of enemies now. Eiji might be striving to reach for the top as well. Izu-chan is fighting a good fight as well. They all have in common; pouring out all their bests in their respective fights. So, I should also put a good fight and win this surgery and may be a hero as well together with them..._

* * *

Katsuki sighs, glaring upon the huge gray gate in front of the examiners.

 _Haru is currently struggling to make her dreams come true. In that while, I have to be the top in order to protect her from all the villains after her. I won't ever make the same mistake again... In this school, I will be number one then I will go back to her._

His train of thoughts stopped when everyone heard Present Mic giving the starting signal "...AAAAAAND START!" Eventually, he blasted himself towards the gate, propelling towards the sky without any care to the word. His crimson eyes searched for some robots to take on. There are tons of examiners running all over the place as well, searching for some robots. Well, he wouldn't let anyone take his victory, isn't he? From the corner of his eyes, he stumbled upon a huge robot and as fast as he could, he aimed his hands towards it, preparing for some explosion to his hands, "Get your shits straight motherfuckers, die!"

* * *

The doctor had the posture of a soldier. Every action he took was precise and purposeful. Everything is calm and silent as they exchanged glances in every equipment they'll need in order to make the surgery continue. Continuously, the heart monitor continued beeping, telling them that she is getting the hang of it.

Every second, every minute, Chiharu tried to fight for her life...

Just like, everyone else...

That's when the heart monitor rang, stirring the stillness of the room into alertness. It was decreasing.

120...

90...

Everyone immediately struck back from reality when they realized that the surgery only has 40% chances of living and it all depends on her immune system whether she'll get a hang on it or not.

"Doctor, what should we do?! She's losing blood!" One of the nurses called out the doctor, snapping him away from his deep thoughts. It was all sudden, he couldn't think where he is wrong or maybe Chiharu just can't. However, he tried to be calm despite the ringing of the heart monitor. He analyzed the chart for a few seconds and looked up with extreme serious etched in his face.

"For the mean time, fetch some blood bags." He ordered, and the nurses started to move their legs to retrieve the said bags. Then he asked his assistants, "Where's her family? Her guardian?"

"Sadly..."

"There's no one... for now..."

* * *

"Another one!" He shouted, aiming his hand towards the robot and exploded it, "Fucking die shitty bastard!"

 _Haru, you better get a hang on this! You're strong!_

He swears on himself after the exam he will rush towards the hospital. He is dead worried about her. And he hated how he couldn't be beside her of all the times. So, he decided to pour all his anxieties towards the huge robots in his line of sight, hoping that it will clear all the thoughts in his mind. The more robots he destroyed, the more his adrenaline rushed.

* * *

Shota hurriedly staggered in his feet in the hospital hallway. Apparently, the current nurse in-charge sent a message to him, telling him that he has to go to the operation room. The raging thumping of his heart caged within his ribs didn't really helped him at all. He is worried sick about Chiharu. There's no way there will be another one in the Aragaki household to leave; he won't let that happen.

When he arrived in front of the operation room, he could still sense that the doctors are still trying their best in making the surgery work. He sat on the couch, rubbing his palms on his forehead, crossing his fingers that everything will be alright.

"Ryuuji... Don't take her away... Please..."

* * *

People seemed to notice that Katsuki went crazy, but they ignored him rapidly as an enormous robot approached. He kept his rough pace, he was so busy crashing and laughing that he didn't realize its presence.

Fortunately, many shouts made him calm himself down a bit, just the time needed to take a look at the big thing. "Just in time! I'm fucking getting bored with these spineless shits!" He commented out loud. Some people was running away from it after trying to punch it with no succeed, and others were that scared that they didn't move and stood there completely in awe, risking their own lives. But he didn't act the same.

His odd urge had the control of his body and obliged it to run to the robot. His grin widened at every step he approached.

"Hey! Where are you going!?" "

"That robot is no use!"

"Stay away!"

Most of them shouted to him, but he didn't hear them, he was only focused in his desire: _killing_ it.

If he turns his tail and run, then what's the fucking point of aiming for the top? What's the fucking point if she's taking risks while he is here just blowing fucking robots? He needs to get this message across to her.

He runs faster than before and jumped straight up again, the robot tried to throw a punch, but he didn't let it touch him. He aims his palm towards the head of the robot, earning some ballistic explosion in his hands, grinning maniacally as he released a huge blow, "WIN THE FUCKING FIGHT, HARU!" He shouted, due to the amount of force he made while exploding the metallic head of the robot into pieces.

"THE TEST IS OVER!" Announced Present Mic, but nobody was paying him any attention. In fact, all eyes were directed to the victorious figure right in front of them. Katsuki's grin disappear, raising his fist up in the air. Though, right at that moment, he felt something different as a lone tear escaped from the corner of his eyes.

He wasn't sad or anything. In fact, he should be proud of himself that he defeated a huge ass robot. However, something is giving him a bad vibe. Then, as if on cue, from behind the gray smokes coming from the robot, there stood a familiar figure with curly petrol-blue hair with purple eyes. Everything in his whole surroundings began to blur like he is in an imaginary world with only the two of them.

She is pale, like the snow. Her lips were so white that it hasn't given much color. Her eyes has dark circles under her eyes. Chiharu gave him a soft smile across her lips, as she began, "Congratulations... Katsuki..."

"H-haru? Why? Isn't this only an imagination, r-right?!" He clarified, with his eyes widened in surprise.

But, Chiharu didn't answer, instead she flashed him that sad and worried smile which makes him feel that something is awfully wrong. This is just his imagination, right?! It's all in his goddamn head. He must be so tired that he imagines her right in front of him.

"H-Haru, what the fucking hell is happening!? Answer me!" He yelped in frustration but he received no answer at all from her. Abruptly, bit by bit, her body turns into transparent, fading slowly.

"Wait... Wait!" He pleaded, furrowing his eyebrows in complete distress, "Please... don't go..."

"Pester me to buy fucking anything to you!"

"..."

"Call me again anytime just to fucking kill time!"

"..."

"I don't fucking care whether you annoy me to death!"

"..."

"Just please, don't go! Don't fucking go!" The sobs were stifled at first as he attempted to hide his grief, then overcome by the wave of his emotions he would break down entirely, all his defenses washed away in those salty tears, "Don't fucking leave me behind, Haru!" He roared all throughout his surroundings but young lad just stood there in pure sadness. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, gazing upon his crimson orbs, melancholy washing whole her being. His legs began to move, chasing after her disappearing body, reaching his hand towards her.

However, Chiharu lets out her last sob and smiled at him, "Farewell..." Then, everything disappeared, not a single strand of her is left within his vision.

 _This has to be a joke._

"You fucking promised! You fucking lied to me! You told me you are strong! You told me you won't die!" He gnashed his teeth heavily, spouting nonsense to the air, "You told me that I am your king that I have to build a fucking huge ass castle for you!"

Silence.

At that moment, he realized he is talking to no one but himself. Soft sobs continued to escaped to his lips furiously, "I can't... do... it... Haru... No, no, no, no, no! It's unfair, you know? I did my best, I kicked ass... Why?! Don't give me this bullshit!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Tear stream down his cheeks, his whole face is red, and he screams at the very top of his lungs. His upper body and shoulders wrack with every sob that forces their way out, chest rising and falling unevenly as he gasps for breath, and he squeezes his eyes shut, balling his hands into fists each time he throws his head back to let out a blood curdling scream.

"HARUU!"

 _Don't leave me alone..._

* * *

"Her heart rate is decreasing! What should we do?"

"We really should gi-" The doctor's eyes spotted something in her that made all of them surprised. In the midst of the quietness and wariness, a lone tear escapes from one of her eyes, as if it spokes out her emotions all throughout the battle. They understood what that meant, and hopefully they'll manage to change that message into a hopeful one.

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps.

They wanted to save her. If she could have, she would laughed. Surely they could tell that it was far to late for her to be saved, yet they were like children, naive to the darkness of the real world. The despair and suffering of the world that took everyone she loved away from her.

 _I would be joining you soon..._

 _I'm sorry... Katsuki..._

 _In the end..._

 _I couldn't be your queen..._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Happy 25th chapter! HoOoooray! *Blows horns* It's time to celebrate as this fanfic has reached its milestone. Once again, thank you so much for reading this fanfic even though I always throw rubbish to every chappies. Okay, everyone has to forget the angst and put up a smile! WooOOops!


	26. Chapter 26: All is Well

Chapter 26: All is Well

* * *

 _"Young man!"_

 _"Young man!"_

Katsuki awakes without warning, eyes flung so wide each iris is a perfect orb of bloody crimson. Similarly, he has this kind of dejavu that he has encountered when he went to a freakin' all-too-familiar pale white ceiling and the smell of a fucking Iodoform just creeps the hell out of him. But, today, that's not the case as he had assumed since he is welcomed by a short, elderly woman with grey hair styled into a bun that has a syringe looped through it. Propping himself up with no memories to why he ended up in this some sort of clinic, he tried to beat his head up for more information.

"You fainted, if you'll ask." The sudden information from Chiyo suddenly snapped his attention towards her.

"Huh?"

"Everyone is worried." She made her way towards the chair beside Katsuki, supplying him with the answers he needed, "You suddenly kept crying for a _certain girl's name... "_

Her last few words made Katsuki realized everything. He recalled every little thing that he just saw a while ago. At this time, he really wished that he didn't wake up from this onslaught. Chewing his bottom lip, he remembered how her whole form disappeared within his line of sight. He remembered how sadness filled every core of her eyes and the corner of her lips. He remembered how melancholic her last words were.

"What do you call her?" She paused, thinking about the name he's been screaming for a few times, "Err... Haru, was it?

Instantly, everything came crushing. The thoughts are accelerating inside his head. _**She's dead. She broke the promise. She is a liar.**_ He want these thoughts to slow so he can breathe but it won't. His breaths come in gasps and he feels like he will black out again. His heart is hammering inside his chest like it belongs to a rabbit running for its skin. The room spins, trying to make everything slow to something his brain and body can cope with. _He feels so sick._ Lifting up the white blankets from him, he tried to slip away from his bed and quickly sprinted out of the room. However, Chiyo tried to stop him real quick but failed when he speedily escaped from her grasps.

She could only conclude that this 'Haru' is very special to him.

* * *

 _Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

Katsuki didn't care whether he is tired from the exams and he just wants to jump into his bed and sleep all day. Adrenaline surely rushed to his veins as he keeps on telling himself that his dreams weren't true at all and that she's still alive; ready to dominate the world with him.

He hasn't been honest yet with everything.

As he reaches the waiting room, there he could see her guardian's monotone eyes staring blankly towards the white wall. Clicking his tongue for the umpteenth time, he tried to rushed towards Operation Room, break the hell out of it and keep his menacing eyes whether she's still breathing or anything.

"Don't you fucking dare die on me, Haru!" He screamed running within the hospital hallways. As he does so, hospital personnels hold him back, trying to explain and reason with him. They're nothing but faint whispers to him and hands clawing at his clothing, dragging him came to a point that a security came rushing towards him and is about to pull him out of the premises when Shota intervene not to.

Katsuki is forced to seat beside Shota, waiting for the news whether she's gone or not. Honestly, he felt like he's getting paranoid with all these things happening. He sits in the waiting room for what seems like days. He's still in his workout clothes, and tear tracks stain his dirt-covered cheeks. If his imagination is true, then there's no way he'll live without her.

 **He's like a lost child.**

* * *

Nurses after nurses rushes out of the operating room to fetch things needed to let Chiharu live, leaving the lone doctor within the operating room. He's getting a bit worried but still tried to act professional. Because he can't comprehend what was happening, he's doing the right thing. He's even double checking the chart in front of him and he knows what he's doing.

The heart monitor beeps for another signal that her heart beat is dropping for another one.

50...

40...

"I-It can't be why is she... I'm doing the right thing!" He mumbled, roaming his eyes all over the place as if he's desperate for some clues to get the surgery working. Suddenly, someone went inside that he couldn't recognize firmly. It wasn't a personnel in the hospital. Was it a newbie? If it is, he isn't allowed yet in this room. He was about to reprimand the guy to leave the area. When this guy just glares over him then puts up those eerily smiles that he could see in a horror movie.

"Play time's over." His voice were deep and hoarse that spends chills within the doctors spine as he flashes those all-too-familiar smile, "Did you have a nice dream?

"Wh-Who a-"

In a single snap of a finger coming from Tomura, the doctor eventually loses his consciousness and landed swiftly within the floor with a loud 'thud'. Then, everything swirls back into the 'real' reality, where everything hasn't started. The surgery hasn't started yet. There's no signs of the heart monitor beeping. Her heart beat is normal. It felt like everything was just pure... _illusion..._

"Stop playing quack doctor, Sensei..." He breathes, "Sleep tight."

Then, his eyes hovered towards Chiharu's unconscious body. A creepy smile that presents his full-fledge white teeth continued to plaster his features, "We met again... Chiharu..." Stroking her petrol blue hair locks with his pale fingers, he continued to observe the whole situation, "Rest assured... I will make you feel comfortable... _after this..."_

 _"_ Kurogiri, "He called, then suddenly the guy with the warp portal appeared within his line of sight, "Take her to **Sensei**."

* * *

"Mr. Aizawa Shota?"

Katsuki's head snaps up at an uncanny speed. He stares at the doctor dressed in a porcelain white coat. His throat clenches tightly, refusing to speak, and all he can do is nod his head. The doctor makes a motion with one hand, the other holding a clipboard. He numbly gets up and follows him out of the waiting room. The walk to their destination is tense, and very quiet. The doctor doesn't speak to him, and all Katsuki can hear the clicking of his shoes and the blunt sounds of his own. He can distantly hear other personnel talking in the background, some among themselves and others to patients.

Once they arrive the doctor swipes his ID into the door-frame. It beeps annoyingly a few times, flashing green as it unlocks. She grabs the handle and opens the door for him, and he simply steps in.

There, on a hospital bed, is his Chiharu.

He stares at them, unable to fully process what's happening.

The doctor pats his shoulder. "Aragaki-san, fought a good fight and won it."

He flinches at those words, hands beginning to shake.

The doctor continues. "Even though, the surgery seems to be a bit harder, but she tried with all her might. Thus, making the surgery **successful**."

Katsuki snaps out of numb state, emotions flooding into him. He can feel his knees growing weak, leaning towards the wall with a loud thud.

 _She's alive._

 _She FUCKING survived._

 _She won._

 _She kept her promise._

 _ **His fucking queen survived.**_

Finally, he could breathe in peace.

* * *

Chiharu couldn't remember how long she's asleep. She even considered that she died and wasn't able to keep her promise with her friends. Somehow, she couldn't open up his eyelids; it felt like a massive bolder was on top of her and she couldn't lift it up. As she rouse from a heavy slumber she's first aware of the coolness of the air and it's loamy fragrance. Her muscles felt weak, just like her energy. What time was it? How long had she been asleep? She let out an exasperated sigh, groaning as she tried to prop up herself from the hospital bed. However, seemingly, there's something is hindering her from doing so. From the corner of her eyes, she happened to witness a certain spiky ash-blond in deep slumber as he is resting in her arms. Then, her eyes roamed all around the whole room and she witnessed that there's Shota who reluctantly asleep within his sleeping bag and Izuku who silently snores within the comfortable couch.

Seeing these people around her stayed for her sake somehow hit her. This is reality. She survived. She didn't die. She kept her promise. Everything will turn back to normal. She can go to school. She can have a normal life. She can be a hero. And most of all, she can walk side by side with her friends. Just having those realization that everything went well, eventually, she gave in. Small desolated tears flooded her eyes as she sobs lightly to herself. Usually, when she cries, sadness always cripples down to her chest. But somehow, this time, it's different. Oh how she longs for this kind of happiness. It felt like the heavy burdens that she's been trying to carry for so long were lifted up from her back.

Katsuki's deep slumber are stopped when he heard those familiar sobs coming from Chiharu. He raises his head towards Chiharu and he could see that tears are trickling down to her pale features. This is definitely real. His imagination were complete rubbish. She kept their promise. She'll live with him and eventually become heroes. He couldn't contain the happiness he has within himself. He wanted to shout and cry so hard that he won't have voice anymore. But he'll saved that when her guardian and Izuku isn't inside the room.

"Haru," He breathe, "You're fucking amazing."

A wide grin made its way to her lips, "Y-Yeah,"

"C-Chi-chan?"

Her head jolted to the curly-green haired guy who just woken up from his dreamland. His mouth hangs open, his eyes are a bit shocked upon seeing Chiharu finally woke up. It was a miracle, indeed.

"C-Chi-chan, you're awake!" He cheerfully glided towards the hospital bed where Chiharu is, though Katsuki immediately formed a scowl to his features. Now that ends his time with Chiharu-just perfect-fucking Deku.

"Get the hell out of here, Deku." He hissed, seemingly like a venomous snake ready to eat its prey. Izuku immediately stepped back, fumbling his fingers to his stance as he is scared to what will happen based on the ash-blond's reaction. However, his intimidating presence is stopped by the certain curly petrol-blue haired girl; squinting her eyes over Katsuki as if he is a child who apparently did something wrong.

"Katsuki, Izu-chan is welcome here."

"Alright, Bakugo. Leave Midoriya and Chiharu alone." Shota began to intervene, who just woke up from his slumber. To which his statements has counterattacked by the explosive teen, "No fucking hell, dipshit."

Shota's dead eyes immediately turned into a glare and is about to reprimand his attitude, "Baku-" To which Chiharu intervene and fully reprimanded Katsuki's behavior, "Katsuki, we will talk later. Let me have this time with Izu-chan."

Izuku and Shota watched as Katsuki's bloody hell scowl turns into a calm gaze towards Chiharu. The two were too much surprised since this girl has the power to tame the wild beast in front of them. The ash-blond paid heed for another argument as he stands from his sit, gnashing his teeth and warned Izuku, "You fucking have 10 minutes only, you stupid ne-"

"No time limits, Katsuki." Chiharu chided, an elated smile dangling on her lips.

"You better fucking remember this, you shitty girl!" He tried to sound intimidating to the girl in front of him. However, Chiharu didn't give any cent to his behavior and shrugs it off completely, "Yes, yes." Rolling his eyes for the umpteenth, he grumbled under his breath and stormed out of the room, feeling completely defeated from a single statement. He just can't say no in front of her face, now that she's alive and kicking. When he left the room with Shota escorting him, because he might caused a havoc because Izuku stole his time with her, he encountered an all-too-familiar black-haired guy with shark teeth.

"U-Ummm..." Eijirio paused, "Is Chiharu-chan awake?"

 _What the fucking hell 'Chiharu-chan'?!_

Katsuki could sense his blood boil from this random guy, who he absolutely doesn't fucking know, calls his precious Chiharu by her first name in an instant. There's no fucking way he'll let this guy continue what he calls her. Besides, who the fuck is this guy, anyway? Another exasperated sigh escaped his lips, chewing his bottom lip in pure irritation, finally he made an eye contact; meeting the guy's determined eyes to his bloody crimson eyes.

"Who the fuck are you, plain-face?!"

* * *

"C-C-Chi-chan, look!" His hand fumbled down to his bag ecstatically, reaching for the envelope from UA he received yesterday. Then, he presented it to the gleeful girl in front of him and brought the exciting news, "I-I-I g-g-g-g-g-o-...go..ttt,"

"Izu-chan, calm down.'

"I-I g-got ac-accepted to UA!"

His sudden announcement immediately felt like a huge lightning shock towards her little brain. She is utterly surprised by the turn of events. Instantly, her mouth flew open and her eyes broadened from what he said. Izuku passed UA even if he's just a late bloomer. She is beyond happy for her friend that she wanted to spoil him by cuddling with him.

"I-I-zu-chan, r-really?!"

"Y-Yeah," He smiled brightly, that anyone could go blind just by seeing his smile, "I can become a hero."

"That's great!"

"It's all thanks to you, Chi-chan."

She gasped, "H-huh?"

His soft green eyes fluttered to her. And then he gives her a smile that just seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through her, "You believed me that I'll become one. Even though, it seemed to be impossible, but you supported me with all your might. You took the toll for me. You suffered for me. I gave you multitudes of problems including being so bad in having conversations with guys because we were bullied. There are times that I wanted to end everything but you encouraged me to push further more. With that being said, I'm here, this is one step towards our goal isn't it? I'll be a great hero for you!"

"Don't."

His smile faded when she abruptly replied that single word.

"Don't," She paused, continuing her statement, "Don't do it for me. Do it for yourself because I'll be a hero for myself." Then, she added, "I know you're going to be an amazing hero, Izuku. Before long, you'll have _tons_ of fans, just like All Might!" She chuckles sheepishly before rubbing her head. "I'll always be your Number _One_ fan, though."

Izuku honestly felt as if he could die happy right then and there. It doesn't take long for him to turn beet red, and he'll bury his head in his hands from embarrassment. "Y-you really think that…Chi-chan?

"Of course!" She cheered, "I'm so proud of you..."

* * *

"W-Well, I am Chiharu-chan's friend, Kiri-" But before he can even properly introduce himself, Katsuki didn't have any care to the next words Eijiriou is about to say and eventually interrupted him with a growl, "I don't fucking care, asshole."

As for Shota, he sighed deeply upon their interaction. At this rate, he'll have another argument with another person who is just a casual friend with Chiharu and nothing else. It felt like he has grown another child under his wing that he has to take careful look of this grumpy child in front of him. He tries to hurl him away from Eijirou but Katsuki doesn't give two cents at all.

"Don't you ever fucking try to be so chummy and be good-ass friends with her." If his eyes could stab him, Eijirou would probably be dead in a beat.

However, Eijirou, straighten up his stance and tried to fight a fair fight as well, "How about you... you left her for how many months yet you just come back here like nothing happened? Do you even considered what she felt?"

 _How dare this fucking dunce face telling him about those bullshit he did?_

First of all, he hasn't met this guy to the extent that he knew what he has with Chiharu. Maybe, the freaking nerd told him about him. Just thinking about it gave him the drive to pounce him to death for telling it to strangers. And also, how did even this guy got a good friendship with Chiharu? Chiharu didn't even tell him about this thing. And he swears, he fucking wanted to kill the guy in front of him.

"What do you even fucking know, bastard?" He angrily asks.

"Bakugo, stop it." Shota interrupted them again by hurling the 'almost' exploding teen.

 _"I like Chiharu-chan."_ His confession almost threw Katsuki to his pace, even Shota is quiet surprised that he has the nerve to talk about that even if he's here.

 _What the motherfucking hell did he just say?!_

 _What happened with those freaking months while he's gone?_

 _Did someone just seduced_ _ **HIS**_ _Haru while he's gone?_

 _Who is this fucker anyway?_

Those thoughts circulated in his mind. At this point, he wanted to burst out and tackle the guy in front of him. He also wanted to chuck away this plain-ass guy in the window so that no one could ever approach Chiharu ever again. However, if only the guardian isn't right behind him, and will forbid him to go inside her room if he won't behave well. So he tried to gulped every single anger that clouds his mind and nerves.

"Haru is not simple as you think. If you think you already fucking now her, then that's your miss. She's more brilliant than you shitty dumbass brain knows. You only know her in this dipshit." He glares at him, which makes the conversation more intense than it should be.

"I don't really see what she sees on you. You're really-" Unfortunately, Eijirou couldn't speak again for the umpteenth time when Katsuki forcibly stopped him from doing so.

He began to spout his whole anger towards him, "I don't fucking know as well. Why don't you try asking her than bitching around? If you really plan on making her yours, and may the fucking all grace be on you. However, I fucking swear to your goddamn grave...

 ** _Haru will never be fucking yours_**."

With the tension growing them, eyes scowling at each other. Unfortunately, Shota has to intervene right now, "Chiharu doesn't belong to either of you so stop arguing and let this guy visit her. Let's go, Bakugo."

* * *

Suddenly, the door opened with a loud bang, revealing Eijirou from the doorstep, calling her name, "Chiharu-chan!"

Izuku and Chiharu's eyes flew towards Eijirou's figure. The curly green-haired boy knew immediately that Eijirou wanted to talk with Chiharu. However, he wanted to allow him but with some restricting areas like pushing his feelings towards her. Honestly, Izuku wanted to pry over their relationship as he knows that even though Katsuki hasn't even realizes that he has a huge crush on her, he will get aggravated. Eventually, Izuku left the room in a swift leaving the both of them alone.

A hefty grin escaped from his lips as he sits in the chair beside her bed, "I passed the entrance exam!" Instantly, Chiharu's eyes lightened up, gleaming all over the place when she heard about the exciting news. However, Eijirou beats her into it and added, "And I placed 2nd!"

She's currently dumbfounded by his current achievement and swiftly congratulated him, "That's great Eijirou!"

"That's why, I need to have, you know, some high school debut! I have to change my hair style something like that associating with my pure manliness." Eijirou chuckles, thinking about some things that could help him boosts his confidence. Chiharu is purely welcomed by his thoughts and thought of things as well. An innocent smile grazes her lips, reaching for his hair and ruffled it. Her action made Eijirou blush dearily to himself, fumbling the words he wanted to express now that he remembers that the last he met her, he had kissed her on her forehead. Oh boy, he wanted to dig his grave after that though he didn't want to admit it but it gave him a boost to reach for the rank he needed to confess to her.

"Your hair will look good in red..." She suggested, ruffling it once more.

"E-Eh?"

"You mentioned that your favorite hero is crimson riot..." She stopped for a moment, thinking about her next few words, "So as your high school debut, you should dye your hair in red. You know, the color red gives me the vibe of being determined!"

Her suggestion swirls down to his mind. Her innocence just gave another turn to his aching chest. He really wanted to let out his feelings at once and tell the whole world that he freaking likes her.

"Then, you'll be called as, " She paused, a prideful grin escaping her lips as her next few words meant the whole world for him, "Red Riot! What do you think?"

The rapid beating of his heart didn't stop at all. Did she just gave him a hero name? But brushing that off, he yearns for this kind of cheerful Chiharu. With that being said, he couldn't take it anymore. He has reached top 2 for the physical examination. He did his best. She did her best. And as a reward and vow to his manly self, he needs to confess right now.

"Listen, Chiharu-chan. I have to tell you something."

"Hm?"

"I... li-" Just in time before he completes his statement, the door bursts open revealing the angry porcupine glaring daggers across them. And for the record, for the third time, he's getting blocked by the explosive ash-blond again. He's getting a bit annoyed for some reasons because of his great timing. Stomping his feet towards them, he gnashed his teeth and growled, "Time fucking up, bastard."

"Katsuki, it hasn't been ten minutes yet an-" Chiharu tried to push away Katsuki again. But this time, it's not happening. He felt like she isn't safe with the hands of the plain-ass hoodlum right beside her and he could feel that in any moment this guy will pull up a sneaky chance to score some points to her which he find it annoying.

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Haru." He glowered, raging over the black-haired guy, "I just fucking sense that something bad is going to happen."

"What are you ta-"

"Plain-ass, you have only a few seconds before you get your ass out of my sight."

Eijirou shrugs. His eyes rolling from the scenario as he frowns deeply to himself. He guesses that he should just confess when the pesky ash-blond isn't around. So, he got up from his chair and left the room with no words to counter to him. Meanwhile, Katsuki gave a loud harrumph to himself, groaning that he needs to observe and protect Chiharu from that plain face.

"That's rude, you know. He's my friend." She commented frowning from the fact that he drives Eijirou out of her room.

"And I don't fucking give you the permission to befriends with that bastard."

"You're _not_ my Dad." She retorted, pouting at his nonsense. Eventually, the whole atmosphere turned awkward and cold. With Katsuki sulking to himself on how Chiharu is such a disobedient brat to what he's saying. He just wants the best for her and here she is, getting defensive with that stranger whom he just met a couple of minutes ago.

"Are you feeling lonely?" She asks.

Her sudden query gave him a few shots of surprised look from his piercing gaze. Grunting to her statement, he returned it with a loud, "Huh?!" To which made her giggle to herself, since she could sense that he's being a brat to everyone. She knows Katsuki's tantrums and how to deal with it. Though, obviously, she wanted to tease him about that fact.

Out of the blue, Katsuki lowered his face, looking over the floor and mumbled with his husky voice, "I thought you died."

This made her head snap towards Katsuki's sad voice. The ash-blond doesn't want to appear weak and fragile to anyone, but Chiharu is someone whom he could be himself. As for the petite young lady, she's a bit shocked by his sudden statement as well and wanted to comfort Katsuki.

"I kept on smashing robots. I destroyed every bits of it and emerged the first above all the whole people."

"I-Isn't that great?"

"It's not." He grunts, "It's fucking not." He tried to swallow the tears about pool down his crimson eyes. _Not now._ He wanted to appear the same explosive teen and try to be happy that she's recovered now. However, when he trails back to that time where she disappears from his sight is something unbearable.

"I don't fucking need those entitlements. I don't fucking need the title of the one who dominated UA's entrance examination and become number one." He snaps his head towards her, crimson meeting her purple orbs, "If you're not alive, if you're not here to pester me with that fucking smile, then what use is it for?!"

He didn't even have time to protest before she wrapped her arms around his crumpled form and nestled him flush against your chest. Katsuki's sobs desisted just slightly, and he looked up at her with misty eyes.

"It's okay," She smiled. "You did it, Katsuki. You won. Just like I knew you would."

Katsuki didn't say anything; or rather, he couldn't even manage to form the right words. She couldn't imagine how difficult is must be for him to be seen like this, looking so weak and _afraid_ , but not even the great Bakugou Katsuki was fearless. He was a great guy, yes, but at the end of the day, he was a person just the same.

"I am alive. I kept the promise. Sorry for worrying you like that.."

She didn't know if it was the fact that he was too fatigued to protest, or if she were the _one_ person he allowed himself to let his guard down around, but it didn't matter either way. He nuzzled his head deeper into her chest and hugged her sides, mumbling out a soft "thank you" before returning to tears.

"Hey, Katsuki?"

"Hm?"

"I guess, this is the last?"

"I don't know."

"You don't really have to prove anything."

"I will fucking still reply to your messages, don't worry. You can fucking pester me all you want."

They both unwrapped themselves from the tight and warm hug from each other. As they both gazed through each other orbs, Chiharu is the first one to break the ice.

"Dominate UA. I'll be waiting."

"You don't have to remind me, I fucking will."

With a sad smile grazing her lips, her chest tightens from those words.

"Alright, give your best."

* * *

Author's Note:

wow, this hit like 4k+ words. I thought that I kept this short but oh well... School is approaching again, nyey. Thank you so much for the support everyone! AND DING, DING, DING TOMURA IS THE WINNER! Everyone say thank you to our dear Tomura for saving our girl again. Next chapter will be the boy's adventure to UA ((Finally)) and yepp... your fave Tododorki will be hereeeeeeeee. And I will be making Chiharu's circle more biiiiiggggg. Suggest me some good ol' ppl who u want Chiharu to be friends with~ 3333


	27. Chapter 27: Unexpected Decisions

**Chapter 27: Unexpected Declaration**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hello! This chapter might seem really not controversial at all and it might not get your interest ((since author is kinda taking a break from all these angst LOLOLOLOL)) However, while I'm trying to follow the canon plot of the anime, things are different ((of course)) from the flow of the canon plot. So, just relax and I will be giving you good reads~ And no, there won't be fluff here

* * *

It's a simple and bright day for Todoroki Shouto. It isn't that he's excited for the first day of his school in UA. Yes, there's no way he'll get pumped up by that fact. He's not also that exhilarated that he'll be a future hero in the making. Yep, not at all. In fact, he's looking forward for a certain curly petrol-blue haired young lady waiting for his arrival. As he recalls that time, he actually made friends with her that puts a great amount of warm within his chest. Also, he also promised Ryuuji that he'll tell her about himself someday to her.

 _He hated to admit it but he is selfish._

He wanted to spend time with her first before revealing the whole truth; that he, himself, Todoroki Shouto, is the reason why Ryuuji died. In other words, he killed him and that undying guilt will always be there.

As he steps inside the classroom field with unfamiliar faces and with some empty chairs to be occupied by some people later on, he pleads quietly to himself that Chiharu passed the exam and that she belongs to Class 1A. After all, she told him that they'll see each other in UA. It might be a huge chance for him to repay all the sins that he did in the past.

 _Or so he wanted to..._

However, homeroom just started with no sign of her at all. _Maybe, she's assigned in other sections?_ He has this hope since her 'friends', the scrawny curly green-haired guy and the explosive angry cursing machine is there. So, there is a high percentage that his claims can be true or not, there's no point of being hopeless for now. Later on, he'll try to ask her friends even though it irks him to approach them especially the angry one.

"I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shōta."

A euphony of gasps and whispers permeated the room, especially Izuku, Eijirou and Katsuki who knew him, prompting their instructor to suck in another breath of annoyance. He didn't bother waiting for them to quiet down and pulled out a blue and white tracksuit from the worn quilt pooled around his feet, lifting it above his head for everyone to see. The teacher with his dead fish eyes and seemingly 'just-got-out-of-bed' look radiates all over his whole presence. Somehow, he's so tired of this whole lecture and stuff that he wanted to end it everything. Speaking of him, Shouto got this feeling that he met Shota long before. Digging through his mind for some memories with his teacher in front, he is reminded by the time of Ryuuji's death.

He was the guy who is beside Ryuuji up until the end.

Again, guilt rushes throughout his veins when he remembers that time. It was all reality and pure truth, yet, he wanted to be friends with his daughter? It was all because of him that she was left to be alone. It was all because of him that she was left without a father. It's his fault. ** _His fault. His fault. His fault._**

"T-Todoroki-san?"

He snaps out from his lingering thought, hovering towards the source of the voice who called him. It turns out to be Momo who is seated beside him, looking really worried to him.

 _What the hell am I doing?!_

"Todoroki-san, we should proceed to the school grounds."

He could only nod by her reminder. However, deep inside him, he wanted to flee this awful emotion swirling down to his chest. He's been held captive of these emotions all throughout his life... He wants someone to save him from the shackles of his past... But, even though, he pleads to everyone else, no one can save him... even his mother couldn't... _no one._

* * *

"You'll be taking eight physical apprehension tests," Shota explained, his tone and posture noncommittal in every sense of the word. "They're not structured any differently from the ones you've taken in the past save for the fact that you're allowed to use your Quirks whenever and however you want."

"Whoever ranks last will be expelled."

"Expelled?" Their class chorused incredulously.

"Did you think this was going to be all fun and games?" Shota asked, the disapproving frown on his face deepening with each word he spoke to us. "This is the Hero Course. If you're not going to take it seriously, then you don't belong here."

"All right, "Katsuki grinned to himself, "It's fuckin' showtime, bastards!"

Time passes by and four tests flew in a swift and all that remained was the ball throw. Shota didn't seem like the type to joke about something so crucial, but he wasn't a fool. Meanwhile, Katsuki uses this test to prove that he is much higher than any other people. After pledging to Chiharu, he has to give everything since she is waiting for him. It was interesting to note that for some reason or another everyone was doing extremely well on this test. Katsuki threw a pitch ranging a whopping 750 meters. Momo created a cannon and blasted her softball nearly triple that distance. Even that was no match for Ochako, who managed to get the highest score with an untouchable infinity.

As per chance of fate or stroke of bad luck, Izuku went last. His back was hunched and even from this distance anyone could tell he was shaking, but his eyes were narrowed in determination. He swung his fist, and in perhaps the most anticlimactic event witnessed that day, the ball flopped limply to the ground.

… _what?_

"Of course Deku won't be able to do it..." Katsuki smirked in his thoughts, "He is fucking quirkless..."

There was something unusual about how Izuku looked as appalled as they felt. His mouth hung open and his eyes, wider than normal from the shock, were glued to the softball less than a foot away from him. Izuku expected the whispers to start instantaneously, but everyone stayed quiet.

"I erased your Quirk." Shota breathe.

Everyone's eyes darted at the man now standing in front of them. The fabric around his neck hovered above his head as if Ochako had used her zero gravity on him, revealing them to be a bunch of bandages piled together.

"These entrance exams must be pathetic if a kid like you made it through," Shota muttered, his eyes glowing red. Everyone thought they looked dead when they first met him, but now they looked ready to kill.

"You can't be a Hero with that Quirk," Shota said, clicking his tongue. "It incapacitates you to the point where you end up turning into another victim to save. Do you expect your comrades to keep pulling your weight just so you can live out this silly fantasy of yours?"

Izuku furiously shook his head. "No, that's—"

"That's what they're going to have to do," he interrupted. His eyes turned back to black once his Quirk deactivated, which released his hold on the curly haired boy and sent him tumbling into the dirt. Everyone remained silent, staring, and still as he uttered his final demand. "Two more tries, that's it. Make them count."

Izuku began to earn all his determination and wills within himself. With all the huge revelations people have told him, there's no way he'll give up right now. Chiharu believed in him. All Might believed him. He won't break his promise with his own incapability. He needs to work for his own good. So, he propelled the ball at the last point of contact by sending the power of One for All to just his fingertip, minimizing the injury while maximizing the power. Seeing the whole scenario made Katsuki's blood boil within his veins. He can't believe what just happened. Izuku has a quirk? What kind of nonsense is that? All this time, he fucking knew that Izuku is a big quirkless mutt who is useless to anything he does. And right in front of him is the Deku he knew who can't do anything yet he does something amazing, which is why he couldn't forgive him. **_How dare he trick him?_**

"Deku, you bastard! Tell me how you did it or you're dead!" Katsuki rages all over the premises, sprinting towards Izuku and ready to attack him.

"K-K-Kacchan!"

Luckily, Shouta happened to stop the raging ash-blond from picking up a fight by his binding cloth or else all hell will break lose. On the other side, Katsuki felt betrayed. All his life, he knew that Deku can't do anything... Until a while ago, he was just a pebble on the side of the road!

 **HOW. DARE. HE?**

* * *

After the physical test, Shouto didn't hesitate to dart all over the building in order to check out for the girl he tried to find all over the day. He went over to the neighboring class, Class 1-B, yet he is greeted by the news that there's no Aragaki Chiharu in their class. So, he happened to have this awful feeling within but still tried his best to search for her, however, failed when he already asked the business management students. So he is left with a young man with messy indigo hair which sticks out all over the place in front of him, who is a student of General Studies.

"Umm. Do you have a classmate named Aragaki Chiharu in the class?" Shouto asked, crossing his fingers that hopefully he would be able to find her in this room.

"Sorry, none." He blurted.

This made Shouto flee in disappointment as he only mumbled a soft 'thanks' to him. As the guy is walking away from the room, Hitoshi began to think about the girl's controversial name, seemingly all too familiar to him. Then, it struck him.

"Isn't that the girl who miraculously got healed from an accident?" Hitoshi asked himself, contemplating about Shouto's words, "Why is he looking for her when she's injured and can't go to school anymore?"

Shouto is left with two options ask Katsuki or Izuku. However, he won't bother ask the murderous cursing machine who spouts nonsense to his every statement. Instead, he turns to the timid scrawny guy with freckles on his cheeks and ask for some valuable information about Chiharu.

"Um. I have a question to you," Shouto approached Izuku, making him flinch for a second.

"Y-Y-Yes?"

"We have met in your Cultural Festival and happened to meet a girl. And, I know you're friends with her..." He paused, pulling out the necessary words for his question, "I would like to ask, where is Aragaki-san? I can't see her anywhere.

"C-Ch-Chi-chan? Um..." Izuku gulps, there's this another unfamiliar guy that is asking about Chiharu. Although, he hated to share the news about her condition, but he needs to tell the truth, "Chi-chan isn't here.

"Huh? She's not accepted?" He asks further since things are getting blurry on his behalf.

"No.. rather..." Izuku hates the tension. He really hates it but he has to tell him, "She's caught in an incident."

Shouto blinks. _Incident?_ This further confuses him. He's not reading the news lately as he was immersed with training with his father.

"I though everyone knew since it's televise..."

"Well, what happened?"

"Do you know the incident where the girl miraculously survived a hit of piles of rubble and concretes to her?" Izuku paused, wondering if it's a good idea.

Shouto wondered about that news also. He heard about that but he never went to every detail of that matter. But hearing those words made him a bit awry about the next few words Izuku's about to say. _Don't tell me..._

 **"She's that girl."**

Shouto's world shattered into pieces. He can't believe what he just heard. At that time when he met her, she was still smiling and giggly towards her goal. She's so excited to meet him in UA and here she was, in the hospital and her dreams shattered. The guilt sat not on his chest and inside his brain. Those events on his childhood repeated in his mind. What he had done he could not un-do. He could make amends in subtle ways, but confession was out of the question. Every single thing in his surroundings began to blur and all sounds turned deafening. He tried to makes himself stable for the next words Izuku is trying to tell him, but only got a gist of it.

"Apparently, she injured her legs and hasn't been active ever since. Well, the doctor advises that she should focus on making her legs work and has been in the hospital ever since." But, Izuku's next words made his heart calm down, "Oh, she just got her surgery a couple of days ago so... err... she can't go to UA because of that..."

"Where's the hospital?" He asks.

"It's within Shizuoka General Hospital..." Izuku replied.

"That's where..."

 _His mother was brought to._

 **He can't go there.**

 **Not when he has a huge sin against her.**

 **He hated it.**

 _Fate is really pulling them apart._

* * *

 **[ Jerk || 3:40 ]**

I need to fucking see you

NOW

 **[Haru || 3:40]**

Wow there

What happened?

It's first day only right? Yet you're angry already

 **[Jerk || 3:41]**

I'll tell you later idiot

I'm going there so wait for me

 **[ Haru || 3:41]**

You're so demanding lately

Fine

Buy me chocolates first

or else...

no Haru~

 **[Jerk || 3:41]**

I don't care

Gotta fucking bust myself there

 **[Haru || 3:42]**

At least a cakeeee

cakeeee

plssssssssssss

Cakeeeeeeeeee

IM BORED HALP

Chiharu pouted at the sight of her phone when Katsuki didn't bother to reply to her message. She's bored. She didn't want all these textbooks within her desk at all. Shota is really driving her into the corner and she's not enjoying at all. But, her boredom depleted when a familiar spiky red-head entered the scene with bunch of chocolates within his grasps.

"Wow, who are you!?" She asked, eyes widened.

Eijirou laughs, "It's me, Kirishima!"

"Ahhhh, Eiji and..." Her eyes darted over the packs of chocolates in a brown paper bag and eventually she knew she drools over those things, "Chocolates!"

* * *

Aside from the broken finger Izuku was left with as a result, his second attempt at throwing the softball was an incredible success. He still placed twentieth out of twenty students, but he proved that he was capable of, and that was apparently enough for Shota to keep him around. Now he had three years to improve just like everyone.

With every hint of sluggishness and sore muscles all over his body, Izuku paved all over the exit of the school just so he could even survive his first day. Before he plops to his nice and comfortable bed, he needs to see Chiharu first to talk about how his heart hammered all throughout the events as he realized that her guardian is something to be feared. Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulders causing him to flinch by the sudden contact of that person, shifting his position to that guy in turns out to be Tenya.

"Is your finger healed?"

"Yeah, thanks to Recovery girl."

As they are about to walk their way towards the exit, they were called by the ecstatic and bubbly girl with chocolate eyes, "Hey, you two! Are you heading to the station? Wait for me!"

"You're the infinity girl!" Tenya called.

"I'm Uraraka Ochako," She corrected. "Well, let's see you're Iida Tenya-kun and," she paused smiling to Izuku, "You're Midoriya Deku-kun!"

"D-Deku!?"

Ochako scratches the back of her head, recalling the time where Katsuki blurts out Izuku's nickname, "Eh, but during the fitness test, the boy named Bakugou stated that you're Deku!"

The curly green-haired boy tried to explain things while avoiding eye contact with Ochako, as he is not used with girls aside from Chiharu talking to him, "Uh, my real name is Izuku, but D-Deku is what Kacchan calls me to make fun of me.

"An insult?

She apologized, "Oh, that's right... Sorry..."Then she paused, continuing, "But Deku sounds like the Japanese word for 'You can do it!' so I kinda like it."

"I'm Deku!"

Tenya waved his hands to the air, retorting about the fact that he gives in too easily, "Midoriya-kun? You're accepting to easily wasn't that an insult!?"

But Izuku countered it, "I-It's alright! Plus, right now, I'm on my way to the hospital."

Upon hearing the word hospital, the both of them began to explode in pure wariness. Ochako began, her voice panicking with what he had said, "Hospital!? What happened!? I thought recovery girl healed you."

To which Izuku tried to disperse the misunderstanding, "N-No, it's not about me! I'm visiting a friend."

"A friend?" Ochako and Tenya peered to him, their eyes gleaming in curiosity.

"Yeah, her name is Aragaki Chiharu."

Tenya said, "If I'm not mistaken she's the girl who got attacked by the villain."

Ochako added, "She miraculously woke up after few months of coma!

Then, suddenly. Izuku began to mutter all his way towards Chiharu's existence like some sort of epitome of sunshine, "Yeah, Chi-chan is a nice and energetic girl! Even though, her life is too mess up but she somehow managed to got up and resolve the matter by risking her life for a surgery. And now, she's trying to recover from that and is striving for being a hero! Chi-chan is a strong-willed girl!"

"D-Deku-kun? It sounds like you fanboy over her."Ochako deadpanned.

Izuku stammered, trying to prove himself that he is not guilty of the verdict that he is fanboying over his best friend. After all, if he was, Katsuki will deliberately kill him right on the spot,"A-Ah sorry! I-It's not like that, she's my best friend! And her existence pushes me to become what I wanted to be today. For me, she's one of my inspirations."

Tenya took this opportunity to maximize his knowledge and proposed, "Well, if you would like, can we come with you? I wanted to meet this courageous lady. At the same time, extend my knowledge about this matter."

* * *

Before they meet Chiharu, they stopped by to pick up some fresh flowers to be given to the petite girl. Then proceeded to travel towards her hospital room. Izuku happens to spot the door opened slightly. Curiosity got him like a prowling cat and hurriedly walked towards the room to peek onto the person who left the small gap in the door. Coincidentally, Ochako and Tenya tried to squeeze in as well to satisfy their quench for information of the person inside. They found out that it was Eijirou who is happily giggling beside Chiharu, talking about stuff about his first day.

"It's one of our classmates," Ochako whispered, roaming around her eyes to see the petite young lady over the bed. Furrowing her eyebrows to observe the girl in front of them, she made a comment, "She's quite a beauty..."

 _Who's that!?_

However when they heard Chiharu called him 'Eiji', Izuku deduced that it's the former black-haired guy. "Ah, it's Kirishima-kun... with red hair?!" Izuku muttered, gently pulling out a tender smile across his lips since Eijirou rightly balanced his time to talk with Chiharu. Although, his a bit uncanny towards the guy since he's trying to hurl away her from confessing his love.

"Alright, eavesdropping is not a good idea especially for us. We are responsible for what we're doing as a UA student. And I think we should leave them to have some decent conversation." Tenya exclaimed, with his hands chopping to the air. He tried to sound more convincing for the two, and luckily the two agreed to give them some privacy. However, just as they are about to leave the doorstep, they heard something really unexpected.

"I like you, Chiharu-chan!" He confessed, cheeks bashful up to his ears.

"E-Eh?" The trio sweat dropped from what they witnessed. The bouquet of flowers from Izuku's hands dropped in a swift.

 **'W-W-We just witnessed a live confession!"**

But, Izuku is having a bad feeling about this. Despite all his warnings to Eijirou, the guy never listened...

 **HE'S GETTING HIMSELF MURDERED!**

As for Chiharu...

She smiled like there's no problem at all...

But deep inside her mind...

She knows something is wrong...

Error 404: _has stopped working._

 _Please reboot the system..._

 _Rebooting system in 3...2...1_

"Eh? She gasps. Her breath hitches from the sudden confession. Because there's no way- _ **NO WAY IN HELL**_ -someone's confessing their love towards her. So, she cleared her mind, thinking of some counterattack from that declaration. It might be that she's just imagining things. That's right, she's just jumping into conclusions that someone just freaking confessed their love for her and just meant it to become like some sort of special mega buddies. Sweat dropping from the 'awkward' situation she's currently in, she tried to let out a slight cackle to ease out the tension between the two of them, "O-Oh, s-so, y-you like me as friends! I would love to go deeper with that intimate friendship like best buddies."

"Chiharu-chan, I'm serious." He continued, "I like you as a girl and I-I want to date you." He stated with a flushed face and seriousness within his eyes. At this moment, she clearly can't contain the amount of information that she somewhat digest. She's a good-for-nothing! She cannot even continue to UA because of her legs. She is weak. She can't do anything... well as of now...

 _Even Katsuki, whom she's together with ever since they were literally born, never considered her as a candidate for his girlfriend._

And then, here's Eijirou, the oh-so-sweet-loving-sunshine or anything she could ever describe is right in front of her, confessing how he deeply likes her. Somehow, this succession of events isn't good to her mind at all. Chiharu's blush seared through her cheeks and for a minute she thought her face was on fire. She suddenly felt awkward, demure, and coy; even going as far as attempting to hide her rosy features behind her slim fingers as she further screeched to herself, "EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, there stood three bashful people, who can't also processed what they've heard, especially Izuku. Truly, Eijirou straightened up himself and will do things what he speaks off, especially confessing his love for Chiharu.

 _"What the fucking hell is going there, Deku?"_

Of all the people visiting at this right very second, minute, time or whatever it is, it's the exploding teen with spiky ash-blond and crimson eyes happened to be there. He stood there growling against the three as Izuku prays that he could stop Katsuki from going inside and seeing a bashful Chiharu within his line of sight as well as Eijirou confessing his love towards her.

 _Oh boy, he doesn't want World War III to start in a few seconds._

"K-K-K-Ka-Kacchan!?" He screeched at the top of his lungs, furiously shaking down to the core.

Katsuki glared at this poor little being together with the two people behind him. With a box of strawberry cake in his hands, he grumbled, "Move the fuck, _Deku._ "

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

So did I tell you that there would be World War III? HAHAHAH. Anyway, this chapter isn't that much of a development since it's just their first day. And yeah, I'm trying to write some oozing fluff for the next chapters. So someone thought that it will be Chiharu x various which I think won't be... because... well... Katsuki will kill anyone who likes her HAHAHAHHA And poor Shouto who didn't meet Chiharu (so sad)

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	28. Chapter 28: Mind Boggling Question

Chapter 28: Mind Boggling Question

* * *

 _"Move the fuck, Deku."_

Those words are enough to send some chills down to Izuku's spine. His bloody crimson eyes seems like it can shoot daggers, and can stab him to death in any moment. At this case, he wanted to avoid a fight breaking out within the premises of the hospital. Based on his experience during their Junior High, he knows that whenever some random dude confesses their love for Chiharu; the next day he has a broken arm or leg caused by the angry teen. So, he'll try his very best to get Eijirou out of the room as well as making Chiharu snap out of reality, without letting the ash-blond know at all.

"U-Umm. K-Kacchan you see-" Izuku stammered, staggering to his pace as he tried to come up with various excuses. However, his plan backfired when Katsuki didn't even bother to listen to what he wanted to say and instead threatened him further, "I don't fucking care about you! Get your ass moving or I'll fucking kill you!"

As for Tenya, as a disciplined student of UA, barged in the conversation and reprimanded him,"Bakugou-kun, that's rude to say within the premises of the hospital! You should-"

"Like I said, I don't fucking care, who the fuck are you anyway?!"

"W-What?" Tenya's mouth flew open, he couldn't believe that the exact guy he tried to scold a while ago fully forgot his presence, "I am your classmate, Iida Tenya. We just met a few moments ago!"

"What the fuck is an Iida!?"

Izuku began to interrupt their conversation,"T-The n-nurse is checking up with C-Chi-chan and-"

Tenya whispered, "Midoriya-kun, you know, lying is ba-"

"I-I-Iida-kun, if he knows about that Kirishima-kun will get killed!"

"Why?" Ochako asked, seemingly puzzled with the turn of events. She couldn't get why Katsuki should not see nor hear Eijirou's confession. Honestly, she thinks that Eijirou could even pull off his manly confession out of the blue. If she can, she will applaud him for that outstanding performance.

"K-Kacchan i-is a bit over protective to C-Chi-chan a-and..." Izuku tried to explain the situation while trying to calm the seething explosive teen in his line of sight. However, despite all his exclamations, Ochako just doesn't get it. So, to solve the lingering questions within her mind, she tried to ask Katsuki out of the blue; not aware of the possible consequence in hand.

"Hey, Bakugo-kun." She called, trying to keep calm with a smile within her features.

"What?!"

Ochako flutters her chocolate brown eyes towards the furious Katsuki, who just wanted to visit Chiharu and avoid seeing the source of his anger in front of him. Then, she asks the question that is, first and foremost, prohibited to ask within the time being, ** _"Do you like Aragaki Chiharu-chan?"_**

"Eh?" Izuku couldn't believe what he just heard from Ochako. Is she challenging the ash-blond or she wanted to go to hell and drag them down with her? Of course, the brunette didn't mean any harm at all. But that question is the number one in must-not-ask-to-a-struggling-blond right now since he hasn't found the word 'love' on his dictionary.

Katsuki furrows his eyebrows, completely dumbfounded by what he just heard. Suddenly, all his rattling began to diffuse and for the first time, he didn't argue back nor drag their bodies to hell. He just stood there, his mouth slightly agape, processing the words that she asked. The word 'like' continued to circulate in his mind for a moment.

 **like...**

 **Like...**

 **LIKE...**

 _ **Do I like Haru?**_

In an instant, he thought of the way her purple orbs flickers towards him, how her wavy petrol-blue hair dances through her skin and blends towards the sky, how her pink rosy cheeks gets even better when she looks at the things she loves, and especially her sun-like smile that always gives him light to his darkest moment. Everything about her is just... amazing...

Sure, he likes Haru as his best friend but he'll never step onto the stage where he likes her romantically. Besides, how could someone as good as her like as someone as incapable of him? That simple words circulates and drains his own brain; just like that it reminds him of how useless he is.

 ** _There's no way he can have her when he, himself, failed her._**

 ** _He left her._**

 ** _He made her cry. A LOT._**

Most importantly, there's no way Chiharu will ever like someone as hot-headed as him.

He has no rights... to be... with her.

Snapping back into reality, his mind drifted to the fact that the round face just nearly tricked him to this fantasy. Just thinking about those things made his blood boil. How dare she tell that to his face? Now, he's anger towards Izuku doubled. He hated this awful feeling spreading towards him again. It felt like 'guilt' itself crawled against him again and is reminded that after all the things that he has done; he hasn't been freed by those chains and it only saddens him. Gritting his teeth in frustration as he send some little sparks to his palms, his bloody crimson eyes glared at them; seemingly devouring them by his pure anger.

Izuku immediately screeched at the top of his lungs upon seeing his friend's reaction, "Uraraka-san, run!"

"E-Eh?!"

"Also get Kirishima-kun out as well!"

"All of you fucking go to hell!"

"Bakugou-kun, it's rude to rampage all over the place!"

As soon Katsuki takes a step towards them, Ochako immediately rushes inside the room while Tenya and Izuku tried to hold him with all his might. Her sudden appearance made Eijirou and Chiharu surprised, earning a gasp between the two. As she had her grand entrance in her room, she began to introduce herself rapidly, "I'm Uraraka Ochako! Sorry for bursting inside your room Aragaki Chiharu-chan!" Then, her chocolate orbs landed towards Eijirou's confused form, and suddenly grabbing him out of nowhere, "I don't have the time to explain things but please forgive me, Kirishima-kun!"

"W-What are you-w-woah!" He wasn't able to reply from her sudden statement when he found his feet leaving the floor, floating all over the place. Before he continues to fly towards the roof, Ochako immediately grabbed his wrist then rushes towards the window, opening it completely to give access outside.

"Ah-err. M-Miss? W-What are you doing to Eiji!?" Upon witnessing these events unfolding, Chiharu couldn't help but yelp in wariness.

"Explain things to me, Uraraka!" Eijirou chided, trying to maintain his balance within the air.

"I'm not fucking done yet! Let me in! Why the fuck won't you let me in!?" Katsuki's voice roared from the outside. And judging from his raging aura, the two won't be able to last long considering how angry the ash-blone is. Squealing within herself when he heard his voice, she tried to explain things to them with Eijirou floating within the air, "Bakugou-kun is going to kill him!"

"Huh!?"

"I'm sorry, Kirishima-kun!"

"W-Wait, my body is not ready ye-"

"Sorry!" With that being said, Ochako launches him out of the room using the window and floated towards the sky following the screech of the well-known red-head of the town. And for a split second after that, Katsuki together with Tenya and Izuku, emerges inside the room with tattered uniforms and hair.

Chiharu couldn't comprehend what was happening at all. It's really hard for her to process everything: a random stranger just went inside her room and tossed Eijirou out of the window then now, Izuku, Katsuki and a guy she doesn't know are awfully beaten up by god knows who. With a loud exasperated smile, she scrunched up her nose, and furrowed her eyebrows, "Would you mind explaining everything?"

* * *

"We're sorry!" Izuku exclaimed bowing to Chiharu, while Ochako and Tenya followed suit. Apparently, Ochako has also maneuvered Eijirou to the ground floor safely before reaching the stratosphere in no time.

"Bakugo-kun, apologize to her as well!" Tenya retorted but Katsuki blatantly ignored the nagging beside him. The ash-blond never cared to what they exclaimed about someone getting thrown out of the window and such. All he cares is to tear away the extras away from Chiharu because he doesn't have much patience to deal with them.

"We've been really rude. And sorry for throwing Kirishima-kun out of the window!" Ochako apologized for the umpteenth, her eyes shutting close in fear on what will happen next. Will Chiharu scold her for doing such thing? Of course, she will. She just threw her friend on the window and barge in without any permission. She's truly a goddess if she'll just forgive her right on the bat.

"Well, you should apologize to Eiji about that though." Chiharu patted her head, smiling beautifully at her, "W-Well, we got on the wrong foot so shall we start over again?"

Ochako snapped her head towards her, feeling her mouth hang open to her response.

 _ **She is INDEED a goddess! What's with this kind and beautiful creature?!**_

"I love you Chiharu-chan!" Ochako jumps into her bed, giving her a great hug which made Chiharu giggle in response. The brunette is a bit cheeky and energetic that's why she felt some kind of emotional attachment to her. For a while, she's enjoying the company of the giggly brunette when Katsuki forcibly hurls Ochako away from Chiharu; hissing at the trio, "My fucking turn first! You bastards have to wait!"

"What kind of-" Tenya is about to disagree about Katsuki's statement when he is interrupted by Izuku, "A-Alright, Kacchan!" Even if Tenya and Ochako are not satisfied with how Izuku humbly submitted to Katsuki, they followed his claims and the trio left the room without any word.

The explosive teen firstly noticed the bags of chocolates resting at the top of the desks; making him a bit irritated. Guessing that its the plain face's gift to Chiharu, which he didn't stumble for a bit, jealousy took all over his veins. With his nerve-cracking within every edge of his body, he shoved every bag of chocolates away from her sight and places the box of cake at the top of it.

"Fuckin' eat, dumbass." He ordered, glaring daggers at her.

Chiharu rolled her eyes from his demanding demeanor. Noticing how Katsuki merely explodes the hospital with his anger, she didn't hesitate to shake up the news on his first day, "Katsuki, not everyone is used to your angry porcupine-thingy attitude. So better hold your horses and change the way you look at these bunch of extras, or so what you call. But still, it gets me to my nerves whe-"

"Stop."

It made her stop, blinking towards him as he shifts towards her. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Katsuki leans in and rests his head in the crook of her head. Bit by bit, her cheeks began to turn beet red, and her heart is in the verge of exploding itself because of what he just did. Flashing every move and confession of Eijirou in her mind makes her conscious to her movements towards her fellow friends. She didn't move. She didn't do anything. Currently, all she can do now is to keep still even if she can smell Katsuki's hair from the distance and how it tickles her skin. She will try; not when she wanted to throw the raging skipping of her heart out of the window as well.

"W-What?" She tried to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Charging..."

"W-What!?" Chiharu yelped, but Katsuki countered her retorts, "I'm fucking mad and tired with what happened this day. So, stop talking for a moment." If that's what happened, Chiharu wanted to comfort the explosive teen. Chalky-white fingers crept up his back, settling to his spiky and soft ash-blonde, gently patting his hair. He takes this opportunity to further bury his forehead to her neck and oh boy every single thing that angers him depleted in a millisecond; that's the magic of Chiharu. After a few moments, he releases himself from her grasps and sat down to the chair beside her.

"K-Katsuki," She called out, hiding her embarrassment upon remembering Eijirou's confession to her. She still couldn't believe that someone tried to initiate their feelings to her when, in fact, she didn't do anything at all, "What do you think of me?"

Katsuki sighed, "A huge dumbass."

"W-What!? Stupid, if I'm a dumbass then you're an asshole!" Pouting to his nonsense which in return made him glared to her, Chiharu brought back the subject, "I-I mean as a, you know..."

"Spit it out, I don't have the whole day." Katsuki rolled his eyes in complete annoyance, grabbing the water bottle from his bag. Squeezing the bottle cap open, he began to chug it down with every huge gulp without knowing that the next few words will let catch him off guard.

 ** _"WhatifIbecomeyourgirlfriendwhatdoyouthinkofme!?_** **"**

"Pffffffff," Water spills down from his mouth as he is aghast from what he just heard.

"K-Katsuki! Are you alright!?"

He swears he's madly blushing right now. Why does she have to ask him that way? Plus, why is his heart beat rampaging all over his chest? He is her best friend; nothing more nothing less. It's not like he has feelings with her right? Abruptly, he recalls the words that the 'stupid round face' asked him. And now, he swears that he'll murder her right on the bat when he meet her again.

 ** _Do you like Aragaki Chiharu-chan?_**

But the idea of having her as his girlfriend...

"I know right! I don't have that good qualities!" Chiharu tried to negate the topic on hand, chuckling nervously to herself. Thinking that even Katsuki stopped talking when it comes to describing her. It only means that she's not that really good, and the only way to escape this awkward situation is to think of some defense mechanism, "I am stuck in this hospital bed! I can't walk! I only pester you for chocolates but never helped you anyway."

He has a bad feeling about this...

And he knew that something happened between the plain-ass and Chiharu...

"It's fucking time to brush your teeth, stupid. Stop yapping." Katsuki deadpanned, staring straight to her. His crimson eyes made her stop from all her chattering nonsense and nodded, trying to find the wheelchair within her room. Only to find out that it's not in here room which made her a gasp. How can she even go to the comfort room? Make the toothbrush float? Wait, that's a good idea. As she's about to activate her quirk to make these things float its way towards her, she's interrupted by his sudden husky tone, "No using of quirk, dumbass."

"Huh?" Her sparkling purple orbs traveled to his eyes. The ferocious crimson eyes that he always gives out to every single person isn't presented within him as of the moment. Every time he is with her his eyes will soften, his whole being relaxes like a calm ocean. And that's how the magic of Chiharu works to her. Suddenly, he starts to get close onto her. He swiftly hugs her and lifts her high; bringing her to his eye level. Squeaking towards his sudden act, she hurriedly placed her arms around his sturdy shoulder. Honestly, she's never seen herself blushing around Katsuki and surely hates this uncomfortable feeling. There are only a few inches away from their faces, causing her to stammer. Her cheeks seethed colors of red and pink up to her ears, trying to avert her gaze from his crimson eyes.

"K-Katsuki! W-W-W-W-W-W-"

"Did the plain-ass confess to you?" He deadpanned, poking holes to her purple orbs.

"H-Huh?"

"Answer me, Haru. Did he?" His tone sounded too serious for her. And when she knew Katsuki sounded like this, something is definitely wrong.

"Ahh...Er... Uhh.." She wanted to avoid the subject but it might be good to just tell him the truth, "Yeah, he asked me if I can be his girlfriend.

"You can't."

"Huh?! I'm not asking for your opinion Katsu-"

"And I'm saying that you can't.

"K-Katsuki, you're not my b-b-b-b-boyfr-friend!"

"You're mine." He blurted out without any hint of blush nor embarrassment from his words; to which made her gasped out deeply. She couldn't think straight at all because of the igniting feelings about the term 'love'. She's not good at handling these things at all.

 _Aren't you embarrassed by what you've said!?_

Suddenly, Katsuki uses one of his hands to pinch her nose really hard. Upon realizing what he did, she squeaked on her own and tried to stop him from teasing her further, "K-katsuki it hurts!"

"Listen, I'm fucking telling you this once!"

"I got it swo stwop pwinchwing!" She tried to speak despite not forming any clear statement at all.

"The one inside this room is me. It's not Deku. It's not that fucking plain-ass face. It's fucking me. _You fucking pay attention to me. LOOK AT ME DAMN IT!"_ Releasing his grip from her nose, he gives out a loud harrumph before carrying her towards the comfort room inside her room. Chiharu realizes what he meant and giggled upon his reaction, "Is Katsuki pouting?"

"I'm not! You fucking bitch!"

"But," A smile graced Chiharu's lips as she relaxed into his presence. Feeling a strange urge to touch him, she brushed his bangs to the side, hoping to get a better view of the ruby irises that focused so intensely on her neck. She leans in, so her foreheads rests against his. Both of their gazes locked to each other. Then, her hands slides from his shoulder to his cheeks, caressing it with tenderness with her slick fingers. "I like me better when I'm with you... _ **Kacchan,**_ " she says in barely more than a whisper.

 **Fuck.**

He felt that his soul left him.

 _Aren't you embarrassed with what you've said!?_

Adversely, her gentle gesture startled the blonde, causing him to jerk back and gape at her with mortification. Fortunately, that he has kept his soul intact and wasn't able to drop her in the sink or else... When he sets her into the bathroom sink, she has help herself with brushing her teeth. Silence subdues their atmosphere as each of them is a bit embarrassed with what they've said to each other, hoping that the both of them dropped the fact that they're being too cheesy for a while. However, Katsuki has been thinking of Chiharu's statement about herself. For him, he doesn't see the point of her rambling on how useless she is. First of all, she's beyond perfect. Fuck all those girls, Chiharu is the best girl. To prove the raging rants within his mind to be right, he returns her within the chair beside her bed; which made her confuse about the sudden act.

"Katsuki, why won't you return me to my bed?" She squinted over his whole being, but the ash-blond deliberately ignored her retort.

"You know, you are fine the way you are..." Katsuki said, as he began to collect the strands of her wavy petrol-blue hair to his calloused hands. She'll never get used to this kind of Katsuki whenever they're alone; soft and collected. It was as if his brash attitude never existed. Just thinking about this kind of treatment solely for her makes her heart even more flutter. Combing it with much gentleness and tenderness, he tried to tie her long loose hair to a ponytail while he continued his statement, "Fuck those ideal girls you have in mind. Continue to be a peanut brain, a fucking chocolate scooping machine, an annoying bastard who keeps on smiling...

It's fine...

"After all," He began to tie together her silky hair with a black hair band to a ponytail and finished his words with something unexpected, " _You're the Haru that I love from the start..."_

"Eh?" Chiharu gasped. She's not ready to his words at all. And also, it seemed like he act out-of-character again which made her jolt in her place. Turning around to face the ash-blonde, her heart began to skip a beat.

"Huh?" Katsuki replied, processing the words that he just stated.

 **FUCK.**

What did he fucking say!?

Why the hell is he being cheesy all of a sudden!?

Did he just...?

IS THIS A FUCKING CONFESSION!?

Wait...

This is Chiharu for god's sake! She's an airhead; a dummy! There's no way she'll ever take-

"What are you saying all of a sudden!?" Not only her cheeks, but her whole face turned red. Though the ears had been hidden among the messy curls of her hair, it was obvious that they were as rosy as her face. He stares back at her, lips parted mid-sentence.

 **FUCK.**

 **HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT.**

 **WHAT. THE. HELL?**

 **She's hella cute!**

"I fucking meant it as best friends, dumbass!" Because of his raging heart that spews out different kinds of emotions that made his brain short-circuit for a while, he wasn't aware that he pushed her out from the chair.

"W-W-Woah, w-wait! K-K-Katsu-"

"Hey, Ha-!" Fortunately, Katsuki got a hold of her wrist ahead of time, landing straight to the bed. The male hissed and fell with her in his grasp, unexpectedly, caging her in his strong and built-in arms. Right now, she's currently underneath his grasps, and she can't help but directly gaze into how soft his features look like. Both of them are astonished upon seeing how close they are from each other; feeling the rapid beating of their heart. Blushing up until the the tips of her ears, a nervous smile decorated her lips as he slowly ran his hand through her hair. His scent clings to her nose—his hair, his shirt, his skin, his _hands_ : cinnamon, gunpowder, soap and Katsuki _._ That essence that laced through her dreams like a balm. Their breath mixed in the air between them, and the scent of sweat and iodoform, a faint hint of jasmine singing somewhere beneath it all.

And her eyes—her _eyes_.

They were bright and dark and dancing. _Seeing_ her. Seeing everything.

Seeing all and fearing nothing.

It's perfect. She is perfect. Everything about her seemed to be enough for him. Then, Katsuki remembers those words again: _Do you like Aragaki Chiharu-chan?_

 _"_ Do you like him?" Katsuki asks, which made Chiharu jolt under his touch.

"H-H-H-Huh? W-What are you saying!?"

"Don't." One word is enough to shut Chiharu up, giving her the enough courage to blatantly stare directly to him. He knows to himself that he is selfish but he didn't want to see Chiharu with any other fucking guys. Cupping his cheeks with her chalky-white fingers, she could feel something jolt to her when she replied, "Katsuki... I-"

"What are you two doing, Chiharu and Bakugo?"

"Ah, Sho-chan!" The two of them immediately rise up from their current situation, as the whole awkward and intimate atmosphere suddenly abolished into thin air. Shota squinted, rather indignantly glared at them, he doesn't give any permission to any guy around her to be this intimate to her even if it's Katsuki.

"Welcome back!" Chiharu chided.

And right at that moment Katsuki knew he fucked up.

* * *

This is the reason why Izuku submitted humbly to Katsuki's request...

"Kirishima-kun, wait!" Izuku called him out in the middle of nowhere; not caring about the various menacing eyes staring his way. All he can think of is to talk to Eijirou and wanted to know the reasons behind his sneaky move to Chiharu. He admits that he's being selfish on his own way but this is his only way to protect Chiharu. She's not ready yet to think about all these things. It makes him baffled and frustrated that Eijirou is urging things in a hurry. Luckily to the umpteenth time he called the redhead, he snapped his head towards his direction, signaling that he's listening.

"Why?" He trailed, scrunching his nose as he slowly looks up to Eijirou, "Why did you push yourself to Chi-chan?"

"Midoriya, sorry but I don't really get it. Am I not allowed to tell her how I feel?"

"It's not that-"

"What's even good in Bakugo? Why are you supporting him? He tried to attack you a while ago that's not something you should just pass by! How could you even entrust him with Chiha-"

"Kacchan isn't that kind of rubbish you thought of!" Izuku screamed, and for the first time he never stuttered and halted down to his feelings. Just listening to a certain stranger talking nonsense to his friend is unforgivable. Even if Katsuki never treated him right but he considers the ash-blond as his friend.

"We have issues to ourselves but that should be our problem solely to ourselves don't mix Chi-chan to this."

"Then, Midoriya, are you in favor for that? Bakugo already left her once and I know he'll never hesitate to leave her again."

"What makes you say that he'll do it again?" There's seriousness in his tone. It's almost like daggers piercing Eijirou to no end. Izuku stood up straight, and for the first time is able to gather enough courage to speak to what he thinks he's right. It just ticks him on how Eijirou judges Katsuki just like that. Sure, the ash-blond did a lot of things to him but that doesn't give him the special access to just speak rubbish about his friend. He has to do something.

"D-D-Do you even know what Kacchan felt when he did that? D-Do you even saw what happened to that time when he knew Chi-chan is in the brink of death?" He could hear his own voice crack, but he tried to be strong despite of stammering his words a lot, "Y-You don't even know a single thing... S-So, don't judge him as if you knew him. I admit that it's kind of infuriating when we saw Chi-chan crying but I can also see why Kacchan acts like that. He left because of that night. Don't invalidate his feelings because of a single thing he did. "

He paused for a while exhaling deeply then continued, "I'm sorry for being rude but I've been watching them ever since we're kids. Kacchan didn't have a lot of friends when we're little but the only one who stuck by his side and never left him is Chi-chan. For him, Chi-chan is something irreplaceable...

 ** _Don't take his sunshine away..."_**

Tightening his fist together, he blurted out his final resort towards the redhead as he looked through his soul with determination, "I think if you stick with him, you'll know what kind of person he is. That's why, as their friend, _I won't let you get in their way._ "

* * *

Author's Note:

I thought it will only take 1000+ words to complete this chappie but I guess I was wrong... Anyway, surprise, no world war ! ((got trolled m8 im sorry)) I'm going to reserve WWIII in the other chappies&also the dekusquad's encounter. If I tried to fit it in this chappie, oh boy, this will be hella long LOLLOLOLOLOL

This chappie is just a give away for the upcoming AnnGGstTT coz ya'll know Baku has still some issues concerning his relationship with Chiharu LOL. Give the fluff and later kill it with angsTTT

People are a bit skeptical because of Kiri's sudden appearance for the past few chappies thus unfollowing the story. My story is not just made out of angst. It's also made out of chara development. I wanted to make Baku's development stronger and yeah, I need Kiri for that. Next chappie ya'll know Kiri's job in this story ((not just some guy with raging pheromones))

Thank you so much for reading!0


	29. Chapter 29: Inside You

Chapter 29: Inside You

* * *

"Hey, hey, Chiharu-chan! What's your favorite sweets?"

"U-Ugh, i-it's.."

"For me, it's Mochi!"

"Uraraka-san, hold your horses!" Tenya pulled Ochako's features away from Chiharu, as she relieves her personal space from the brunette. With an upholding harrumph coming from the glasses guy, he began to scold her for being too exhilarated to meet such lady. The brunette barely wants to befriends with her, now that she finds her kind nature to be something to look forward to.

"Sorry for being too rude. I am Iida Tenya," He pulls out his hand for a handshake, and pointed to Ochako, "This is Uraraka Ochako-san."

"Nice to meet you!"

Chiharu smiles from her outburst, "Are you Izuku's friends from UA?"

"Ah, err. Yes, something like that?" Ochako glanced towards Izuku, who immediately nods in satisfaction as his eyes shone brightly. The petite lady noticed how Izuku reacted, and chuckled, "How's your first day?"

Izuku reverted back to reality and began,"W-Well, I'm surprised, Chi-chan. Aizawa-sensei is our homeroom teacher.

"Oh, what's with Aizawa-sensei?" Tenya asked.

"He's my guardian."

"E-Eh? T-That s-sadistic figure who almost got us expelled?!" Ochako exclaimed at the top of her lungs without noticing that Shota entered the room, and heard the exact words she just uttered out. Sighing to her ridiculous statement, he made a sarcastic statement, " Well, sorry for being a sadistic figure." Instantly, upon hearing that unsettling voice the brunette froze to her pace, watching Shota walked towards the desk beside her bed to put some fresh fruits.

"S-S-S-Sorry, Aizawa-sensei! Spare my life!" Ochako bowed horrendously from what she did a while ago. Honestly, he couldn't careless at all and rolls his eyes from what he's currently seeing, "Come on, stop bowing. You guys, it's getting darker you have to wrap things up. I hurled out Bakugou out of the room or else he'll be hogging all the spotlight to visit her. I'll be waiting outside." Just like that, he left the room swiftly.

"Let us move on!" Tenya tried to enlighten the atmosphere, signaling how Ochako should also get over with that embarrassing situation.

Clasping her hands together, she brought out one of her signature enlightening smile and continued to the conversation."I'm surprised that Bakugou-kun, Deku-kun and you are childhood friends." Hearing the most disgusting nickname she ever heard from a person she just met makes her blood boil instantly. Again, she was brought back to the time that they're bullied, including on how those nasty hoodlums step on them as if they're some kind of dirt. It is unsightly. It is something herself couldn't contain. It is just-

"Chi-chan, U-Uraraka-san isn't belittling me." Izuku called out upon noticing how Chiharu is about to have some panic attacks just by hearing that nickname, "U-Uraraka-san gave it a new twist. She said that it's something that motivates her to do her best and that's when I-I realize; it's no good if the both of us are hang up in the past, right?"

 _What's with that..._

 _I'm the only one who's still caged in the past..._

 _Izuku's totally changing..._

"W-Well, Deku-kun explained it to me. S-Sorry for using it in front of you. But it's the truth, I didn't mean it that way."

"No, it's alright."

"How did you three met each other?" Tenya asked, now his attention is within her.

"Katsuki and I are literally together since we're born."

"What?"

"We were born at the same date... at the same hospital, that's why we've been together.

"Isn't that too much a coincidence!? That's fate!" The brunette squealed in glee,

"W-Well, then the two of us met Izu-chan when they moved to our neighborhood and since that time the three of us are together."

"However, the way Bakugo-kun treats him is not good at all... The way he tried to attack you is so unsightly as a student of UA! Is he really planning to become a hero?" Tenya reprimanded, recalling the time where Katsuki showed a behavior that's not deemed to be a hero in his own opinion. However, instead of agreeing to his point, Chiharu couldn't control her mouth and protected Katsuki's image immediately, "You may see Katsuki as something unsightly. He is serious... on his path to become a hero. Katsuki is just like that because of me; because he has this kind issues. You see, I'm Katsuki's only friend. He didn't want anyone to come closer to him. It's as if he's building walls around him. Well, I'm lucky that I'm recognized as his friend."

"Eh? How about Deku-kun?

"Well, about that, it's a bit complicated... But Izu-chan considers him as one though."

"That's why, it's better that I'm not enrolled in UA..." Even though, it's just a soft mumble coming from her, Izuku heard her pleas and didn't hesitate to overthrow her claims at all, "Chi-chan, don't say that... Don't... I'm sure Kacchan feels the same way. We wanted you to go with us."

"If I'm there Katsuki will only stick up to me and he'll never have friends to count on. So, while I'm not with him, I hope that someone crashes into his comfort zone and become friends within him even if he's a bit egoistical."

"Don't worry, Aragaki-san!" Tenya cheerfully proclaimed.

"Yes, we'll do our best to be friends with Bakugo-kun since we're already friends!" Ochako followed suit.

"F-Friends?"

"Yep, friends! W-Wait, you don't want it?" Stammering to her own words, she wants to beat herself for jumping to conclusion in inviting her to become one of her friends.

"N-no, I'm just surprised. Also, Uraraka-san is... my... first 'girl' friend... I'm so happy I don't know what to do."

"Awww, Chiharu-chan is so cute. You can call me Ochako!"

"Then, can I call you by some nicknames?!"

* * *

The next day Eijirou still couldn't forget the way Izuku has warned him. Now that it comes to it, he's a bit skeptical about the match unfolding right before his eyes. It's Izuku's team fighting against Katsuki's team, and oh boy, he can feel the mad man's anger even from the screen.

Bakugou Katsuki had a temper.

It didn't take long for him to come to this conclusion, but once he had, he didn't think much of it. Eijirou's first impression of him wasn't exactly noteworthy, and yet despite knowing him for these past few months felt like he had him pegged. He was, borrowing his own words, a two-bit extra in a story starring the underdog protagonist.

He was a lot of things, in fact. Tenacious. Impulsive. A juxtaposition of sorts. Antagonistic might've made the list, but he'll would've been a whole lot worse than that if he looked down on him for not knowing how to deal with his issues. People were allowed to have issues. Katsuki just didn't know how to deal with his. The more he watched him, the more certain he concludes that his personal grudge against Midoriya was going to be the catalyst to his sanity shattering into splinters. Still, he persisted, and that was more than what most people could say about themselves.

Although, he is dejected about the ash-blond.

Eijirou admired him for it.

* * *

"This has nothing to do with Chi-chan so don't drag her into this fight!" Izuku yelled, trying to think of his next move as Katsuki speedily runs after him like a speed of light.

"It fucking does, stupid nerd. How fucking long have you been lying to her!?" Katsuki shouted, firing another blast of explosion from his hand. Honestly, Katsuki is beyond pissed. Chiharu wasn't able to live a life with good-ol'-friends aside from them is because of the stupid nerd in front of him. The reason is Izuku being quirkless, and that she felt responsible to protect the weakling when in fact, she should not be. And now, he is here, standing upon the same ground as him with a flashy quirk on hand. What the hell does he think he is?! What did she fight for? A fucking lie? Her social life crumbled to pieces because of the stupid mug.

"W-Wha...?" Izuku cried, his sweat dropping from gazing onto his demon-like figure with his crimson eyes totally flushed into pure distress.

"Did you fucking forget that because of you she had a traumatic experience during Elementary school!? It was because she's fucking protecting your shitty ass! It was fucking ** _Aragaki Chiharu_** who took all the blame and become some lame-ass as well. She took all the bullying, she lied to me and now here you are... all this time... you have a quirk?! She didn't have a normal life, you fucking idiot. You took her life away!"

"K-Kacchan, I'm not lying that I-!"

"Shut the fuck up, scum!" He quickly interrupted, tightening his fist together/

"K-Kacchan..."

"Listen, Deku. I will only say this once." He mumbled, glaring daggers to the poor boy in front of him, "I will never forgive you."

Meanwhile on the other side, their classmates are a bit worried upon the battle between the duo. All this time, it's Katsuki who's firing those dangerous quirk of his and Izuku dodging like his life clings to it.

"W-Wah, what's happening?"

"I can't hear it though but Bakugou seems too angry at Midoriya. What's happening...?"

"Aragaki...Chiharu?" Yanagi mumbled under his breath.

Eijirou's eyes snapped towards Yanagi's figure, "Are they talking about... Chiharu-chan?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The trial battle ended in Izuku and Ochako's victory.

However, Eijirou couldn't get it at all. Even if he can only see how Katsuki and Izuku fight with each other without hearing any words they utter to themselves, somehow, it hit him home. It's something like there's something going on between the two. Why is he feeling worried and unleavened by the ash-blonde? _He is an asshole, right? He left Chiharu but why is he feeling like this?_

From that moment, Eijirou could only see himself stand idle and watch the remaining battles go by. His eyes kept fleeting over Katsuki's figure, but he couldn't process any words of encouragement for the said ash-blond. Izuku wasn't in the infirmary because he wanted to stay dead last. Katsuki wasn't having an existential crisis because he accepted his defeat casually. The two of them had problems to work out amongst each other and within themselves, but they didn't limit themselves to those insecurities.

His gaze traveled to the blond now standing on the far side of the room. Maybe he was more alike than he initially thought or perhaps cared to admit. It was probably because of the voices in his own head that he ended up the way he was today. They whispered promises and praise, and for a child as young as four years old to be exposed to half-truths that were only truths because enough people believed them was dangerous and a bit sad.

Eventually, the battles finished, and each and everyone were sent to change their costumes into school uniforms. Yet, he still have this aching feeling within himself is. Izuku's words echoed to his mind again, and for the first time, he wakes up from the walls that he built to himself.

 _What is he doing?_

Judging people according to what they've done, without knowing about the truth behind it, is the worst. His own thoughts began to berate him little by little, and for now he just wanted to go home and think about everything he has done. As he's about to get close to the school gate he could see Katsuki and Izuku's confrontation, which made him instinctively hide to avoid confusion. Eijirou could see how Katsuki felt from afar. He's not saying anything, but he is audibly shaking from his position. Clenching his fists side by side, the red-head can deduce how it hurts for him to lose; how he can feel his overwhelming feelings reaching up to him. Now, one thing is for sure, every assumption he made about him proved to be wrong.

"From here on, from here on! You hear me?!" He muffled his sobs, "I'm gonna beat you all! Enjoy your win. It'll never happen again! Damn it!" He tried to wipe down the tears flowing from his crimson eyes and added more, "I will be the number one! I will be the strongest! The one who will protect Haru is _**me."**_

"Bakugo!" Eijirou called.

Katsuki rattled back, "Huh? Who the fuck are you? Get the fuck away from me."

 _So he doesn't recognize me, huh?_

"Hey! Wait up!"

* * *

"USJ? As in the Universal Studios Japan!?" Chiharu cheerfully grinned towards her father-figure.

"No, stupid." He pushes back her face from his and replied, "It's Unforeseen Simulation Joint. They'll be going there for some rescue training with Thirteen."

"A-Ah, the rescue hero-Thirteen?! W-Waaaaah, I want to go too! So, it's only Izu-chan's class going there?"

"Yeah, so I'm not present within the day since I'll be accompanying them." Shota deadpanned, typing into his laptop for ages while balancing his time talking to Chiharu.

"Snap some pictures." She suggested but Shota immediately brushed the idea off, "We won't, stupid. It's confidential, what if it will leak to others?"

"Well, you're telling it to me, right now though. Come on, I want to feel that I'm also there."

"I won't. Isn't that enough that I told you that they're going there? Just let Bakugou and Midoriya tell you about their experience.

"Well, about that..."

"What?"

 _"Katsuki isn't replying to my messages or calls at all..."_

* * *

"What's this place?" Eijirou's wondered over the forest. With a bunch of healthy trees surrounding the whole premise, he could see an old stock room at the middle. Coincidentally, this is where Katsuki went and that's how he is here now.

Outside the old wooden stock room is a sign that is scribbled obviously by a little child- **Kacchan, Haru and Izu's Hero Agency.** Obviously by the name, it's some kind of secret base of the trio. And from afar he could hear the sobs from the ash-blonde, thus, spying onto him to get to know him more.

Katsuki didn't realize that he casually just rests his emotionally battered self into the secret base that he visits from time to time just to fold paper cranes when Chiharu's in a coma.

The first had been the sickening realization that he wasn't the strongest student in his class. He'd never been around other kids with quirks as or even more powerful than his before. It had fueled him to push himself even more, striving for nothing but victory every time, but it had come at a cost that he'd not expected in making people think that he would do absolutely anything to be the best. It was probably because of the voices in his own head that he ended up the way he was today. They whispered promises and praise, and for a child as young as four years old to be exposed to half-truths that were only truths because enough people believed them was dangerous and a bit sad.

"Shit," He murmured, staring up to the wooden ceiling filled with hundreds of paper cranes. Digging his nails to his palms harshly as he bits his lip remorsefully, he began to spout curses under his breath. This is such a bitter pill to swallow; raging emotions continued to pile his chest. He felt so useless and weak upon thinking that he is defeated by some quirkless guy. No wonder he couldn't protect the girl he treasures the most.

"Sorry Haru,"he mumbled, a lone tear escaping from the corner of his eyes. He was distraught, and wanted to beat any shit that comes within his line of sight.

"I am too weak... All I can fucking do is fold fucking paper cranes, pleading to death that you'll be fucking okay. Up until now, I was scared, probably, someone will be snatching you away from me... I fucking hate it..."

"I lose to fucking Deku-to that fucking nerd. I hate it. How can I protect you when I'm this fucking weak? I have to be stronger, stronger than anyone else so that no one will snatch your smile again."

On the other side, Eijirou couldn't hide the fact that hearing Katsuki's words makes him emotionally distress. Katsuki loves Chiharu the most. And he hates to admit that maybe, the ash-blond's love is greater than his considering that they experienced that traumatic incident a few months ago.

 ** _"I'm sure that if you stick with him then you'll understand what that means."_**

 _"So... that's what it means..."_ Tightening his fists as he bits his lip in utterly distress, he murmured, "What am I doing?"

* * *

"Katsuki's not replying to my messages or calls..." Chiharu sighed, glancing towards her glass window to be able to see the dark night sky enveloping within her eyes. Currently, she's alone when Shota left to buy some food in the nearby convenience store. However, being alone like this, she's disappointed for some reasons. Well, she knew Katsuki has some matters on hand but he never ignored her messages or calls at all, at the very least he tried to return back her nonsense. Maybe, she made him annoyed and ignore her presence? Wait, she thinks that the ash-blond won't do that... He promised, right?

"He won't leave me he said," Staring blankly to her reflection, she could tell that every moment she spent in the hospital bed, she gets uglier and uglier. With those dark circles under her eyes that makes her more haggard and her pale-white skin only indicates how her situation is messed up. Honestly, she felt jealous of seeing people go to UA. She wanted to go home. She wanted to have a normal life. She wanted to have some normal friends, like going home with them; laughing and teasing each other. She wanted to see her mother again.

She wanted to reset her life.

Suddenly, someone walked inside her room. It's a nurse, however, that's not her assigned nurse. In fact, it's the first time she sees that nurse. Bewildered by her appearance, she began to observe every cranny of the nurse's features, readying herself to flee. Pressing the emergency button in her smartphone, she entirely screams the first name she would think of in this dire situation-Bakugou Katsuki. The unknown stranger removes her nurse's cap, a creepy smile etches her lips, as Chiharu gapes her mouth open.

It's-!

Suddenly, everything turned black. She felt something envelope her heart. It was the same feeling as when she'd encountered and tried to escape that monster from the hollow night. _Fear._ She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, and when she tried to speak she found that he couldn't. She was completely powerless. Continuously wheezing to herself, she tried her best to call out anyone to help her or even reach out to her phone to contact Shota or Katsuki but she couldn't.

Suddenly, an eye opened up slightly below her face, glowing a deep purple with the same eyes as hers on imbedded in it's iris, and she couldn't realize what it meant. She couldn't see anything, only the one purple eye that was open and glowing before her. She became aware of an eerie laugh, seemingly coming from all around her, then suddenly it changed its course into a mournful cry from a woman whom she can recognize that voice. It continued to screeched for help for numerous times, and Chiharu could feel that her ears will bleed from hearing the creepiness of the voice.

And then as soon as it had started, it stopped. For a moment, all was silent, and then the girl's voice said: _"I'm inside you now."_

"H...elp..."

"Kat..su...ki..."

* * *

Tomura could only snicker from his seat as Kurogiri look at him from the counter. He could feel every tiny bit of his body jolt into excitement. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to shout. He wanted beat someone into death.

Why?

Because the plan succeeded.

This brilliant plan will eventually shock people around her.

And it's only a matter before it will be tested, all thanks to that person. He has picked a valuable item. This time for sure, he will obliterate All Might.

 _"It's showtime..."_

* * *

Author's Note:

In the anime, Bakugo and Kiri's relationship just popped out of nowhere. Like, Kiri just suddenly finds him a good guy then boom friendship, which is why I wanted to make the beginning of their friendship more like evident. I wanted to show why Kiri has the urge to build a friendship with this guy even though they're a total opposite...

So, I decided to build some development between the two. It's seems so fast LOL but USJ is coming up! I wonder what will be Chiharu's role within that moment.

Also, I'm apologizing for not updating. Oh gosh, having a writer's block messes me up. Thank you as always for commenting! Happy holidays!


	30. Chapter 30: Dilemma

Chapter 30: Dilemma

* * *

Katsuki wakes up feeling groggy from the hard wooden planks of the secret base. After crying and venting his anger, he didn't realize that he felt asleep shortly after that, thus, waking up pass 8 o' clock in the evening. Well, he wasn't able to visit Chiharu at all. Plus, he doesn't have any courage to face the girl at all knowing that he somehow failed her.

Glancing towards the smartphone beside him, the screen displays that he has received a lot of missed calls the whole day. Though, he couldn't believe the amount of messages and calls he has received. Letting his fingers dance through his phone screen to see some messages, his attention began to hover towards the numerous missed calls; wondering what it could be. Playing onto some of the calls from his answering machine, he can only hear Chiharu's worried tone that he's not answering any of her calls. It continued for minutes, but then stopped dilly-daily listening to it when the final call is a bit strange.

It's as if something eerily is going on. There's no signal of her voice at all; whimpers and ragged breathing are all over the area. This gives him some bad vibes that something happened to Chiharu. That's when after a few minutes, someone spoke; it's a bit soft and scruffy coming from the other line.

 _"_ _ **H…elp…m..e.."**_

 ** _"Kat…su…ki…"_**

That's when he dropped his phone out of shocked when he heard her soft pleas. Gnashing his teeth in completer frustration he began to gather all of his things from the floor and swiftly left the base. His eagerness to see Chiharu makes him run as quickly as his long legs can carry him, bolting down the alley way; quickening my pace to an all-out sprint. The pounding noise of his shoes resonating off the walls of the alley with a clanging echo that matched his heart throbbing inside his chest with the thick grief and fear he felt as he ran.

It's all his fault that he let himself be consumed by this thoughts; not realizing that Chiharu needs him. At this moment, the most vulnerable one is her and he should be the one beside her; yet he wasn't. As of now he has no clue what's happening to her and he needs to go to there as soon as possible. Curse himself for being a weak-ass, curse himself for being too vulnerable!

 ** _Does he even deserve the chance to be with her?_**

* * *

He arrived to the hospital shortly. Yet, he still could feel the intensity of its walls, scaring and pulling him away from Chiharu.

 ** _What the motherfucking hell is he doing?!_**

 ** _Protecting her?_**

 **BULLSHIT!**

When he steps within the floor where her room is located, he could see nurses after nurses flooding their way towards her room and he couldn't help but feel that something is definitely wrong. What the fucking hell did just happen to her?

 _"Get the doctor real quick!"_

"What are you doing at this hour, Bakugo!?" Shota's surprised by seeing Katsuki's presence out of nowhere. Moreover, it's already evening and yet he arrived here still wearing his uniform. Despite, the adult's query, the ash-blond shrugged it off and screamed, "Haru!"

When Katsuki began to cause a scene, Shota immediately wraps his arms around him and called him out, "Bakugou!"

"Get the fuck off me!" Trying to free himself from his grip, he began to spout out her name," Haru! I am fucking here! Haru! Fuck!"

"Ha…ru?"

Even if there are lots of nurses blocking his line of sight, he could see Chiharu uncontrollably convulsing within her bedroom, as she tried to tighten her grip within the metal railing. She's struggling so hard, that he can hear her cries of pain from his position.

 _"Hang on, the doctor will be there soon."_

 _"You'll get better as soon as possible."_

 _"Aragaki-sam, are you with us?"_

That time, it felt like something strikes his whole world. All this time, he didn't saw her in actual pain and now this scenario just proves it. Standing within the doorway with his eyes and mouth widely agape, he only realized how a big dumbass he is.

Chiharu kept on pursuing that big grin on her features for everyone's sake; comforting his battered heart in the process. Yet, he can't do anything right now. Why didn't he realized that he has everything Chiharu wishes for? A normal life, a fucking family, UA and people surrounding him… yet… he's like this?

She keeps on struggling and struggling like there's no tomorrow even if it pains her. He doesn't know anything at all. An awful feeling continuously spreads throughout his whole being; it felt like he's being electrocuted by all the guilt and monsters whispering scornful words to him. Shivering to his spine, as he continuously produce sweat uncontrollably, he can hear himself hitching and coughing to himself. Again, his sickness is disturbing his thoughts.

 _"Aragaki-san, take a deep breath, okay?"_

 _"Please hurry, Doctor!"_

 _"Aragaki-san! Aragaki-san!"_

 _"Aragaki-san look at me!"_

Suddenly, a doctor bumps into his place, lashing at him, "What are you doing!? Visiting hours for Aragaki-san is over for now, please go home!"

Watching her for the umpteenth time, scorning himself on how he can't help her, he noticed how Chiharu's hands gripped tightly towards the metal railing, pleading for her own life. Then, stopped, and slowly her hand slowly slides down from the railing onto the bed. A dreadful feeling started to spread in his chest, he fought it off, clinging to the dim hope.

 _H…aru?_

His fiery crimson eyes jolted for a second, and as he's about to reach out to her the door slams shut—resonating a loud 'bang—to his face and he's only left with Shota beside him. Silence began to fill the place, as the both of them didn't know what to tell to each other.

Shota decided to calm the explosive teen down, since he knew that the ash-blonde is currently battling against his inner demons, "Bakugo, don't worry. Chiharu will be alright, I'll be watching her so go home for now. It's already too late you have classes tomorrow." Despite his statement, Katsuki didn't hear a single word from him but instead focuses to his own thoughts.

"Haru… Haru…"

 ** _It's my fault…_**

 ** _I told her that I won't leave her._**

 ** _I left her._**

 ** _I left her._**

 ** _SHE'S SUFFERING._**

 ** _ALL._**

 ** _BECAUSE._**

 ** _OF._**

 ** _ME._**

"Bakugo!" Shota exclaimed—which is really rare for him to do—snapping Katsuki away from his taught. Then, he continued, "Chiharu will be alright. _Trust_ her. Don't let your inner demons eat you alive. Remember, the two of you are into this. That's why, get a grip. She's fighting as well, don't leave her."

"I fucking know." He spat.

"Now, go home a—"

"I fucking won't, not until she's alright.

"You're still in your uniform. It means that your well-being is still in the school's hands now go home.

"I fucking won't."

This time, Shota didn't hold back anymore, glaring at him fiercely, "Go home or else I won't let you visit her again."

* * *

Katsuki is forced to drag his ass towards his home. Well, Shota surely knows what buttons to make him stop from his nonsense. However, while his feet keeps on feeling the rough cement of the road, his mind continuously drifts to somewhere. With his crimson eyes dying and his lips curling into a deep frown, he is surely conflicted to the turn of events to him.

Something is definitely wrong with Chiharu even if she underwent the surgery already. And he couldn't help but feel weak by not being by her side at all times and get affected easily by this strangling thoughts. He knew Chiharu already forgave him—hell, Chiharu didn't even think about his sin. One thing is for sure, he still couldn't forgive himself. Right after his defeat from that pesky Izuku, he is completely damp by Chiharu's condition thus worsening he's so-called way of thinking.

"Fuck," he mumbled, stopping by the nearby park as he began to dig his nails in his palms, "Number one hero my ass… I can't even fucking protect one precious person to me. Bullshit!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"BULLSHIT! FUCK! FUCK!"

Every time he recalled how Chiharu tried to struggle with her life had him on his knees; pleading to who-knows to let her live. It always strikes him down to the core on how he's a good-for-nothing guy. While he's dwelling on his own thoughts, suddenly, he remembered Chiharu's words to him.

 ** _"Just seeing your mischievous grin when you talk about heroes and winning, made me want to aspire to be a great one as well. Be a hero, not because of me, but because of yourself. The guy that I look up to, I wanted you to become a great hero. I love the way you pursue your dreams._**

 ** _That is Bakugo Katsuki."_**

There's no way he'll stop himself from his goal. There's no way he'll let himself get stomped by that stupid nerd. And there's no way he'll commit another mistake. He'll still beat the crap out of that horrendous monster and the fucking hood guy from that night.

He'll still make them to pay for what they've done.

That's why, he needs to eliminate things.

And he knows that no one will be happy with his decision.

* * *

The next day Katsuki isn't in the mood to speak to other 'extras' in his classroom. Abruptly, when Shota warned Izuku and Katsuki about what they did in the Hero battle training yesterday, he's called out by the said man while the other students proceed to pick their class representatives.

"To rub off that pesky frown from your face, I'll start with the news that Chiharu is alright." Upon telling that good news by Shota, Katsuki can't help but try to hide his relief etching within the corners of his face. Still scowling at his teacher, Shota didn't mind his rude behavior and continued, "The doctor ran a test, and some abnormalities just came up. I don't know what happened. Anyway, she's in good state. In fact, her physical therapy will start this day, so you don't have worry."

It's a bit silent for a while between the two but Katsuki decided to break the ice "Hey, Sensei." He paused, "Is Haru going to be like this always?"

His sudden question left a mark to him, and probably he knows what thoughts are currently running within the ash-blond. Whatever that is, isn't going to be a good idea for Chiharu at all, "Are you doubting her? Look, Bakugou. I don't know what you're thinking but you better drop it."

"No, forget it." Katsuki avoided his statement, and is about to leave when Shota interrupted him from rushing out of his sight, "Bakugou, Chiharu is striving so hard. She's not giving up to anything— _even you_ —so don't you dare give up on her."

Still, despite his fair warning, he turned a blind eye from his words and left with conflicted thoughts swarming within his mind.

* * *

Break time came, and currently he's in the cafeteria feeling distraught about the fact that of all the fucking class representatives to pick on its—fucking stupid ass—Deku who won. Seriously who voted for that piece of scum? After all the things that guy did to him and Chiharu, he has the nerve to be a fucking class representative, that's just too absurd. Clicking his tongue in disappointment, he stands up from his seat, collect his tray and slams his seat back with a loud 'bang'. Everyone in the cafeteria turned their eyes to the aggravating teen while he went for the exit. Anyone who dares to correct his misbehavior will be sent to hell directly. He doesn't have the time to deal with these morons. He has to deal with someone.

Maybe, the cause of all this pain is him seeing Chiharu. Then, he couldn't focus to his goal and that is to become a number one hero; to be able to protect her. Taking a deep breath to himself, he pulled out his phone and abruptly hesitated to call her

 _Is he doing this for her sake or his sake?_

No, this not for his sake. It's for hers. He's been selfish all this time, and surely, Chiharu needs to focus on the things within her. This is for the best. Letting his fingers dance through the cellphone's screen, he began to call Chiharu. Ringing… and… Ringing… After a few seconds, Chiharu picked up her phone, and as usual, she greeted her with her energetic attitude. However, Katsuki didn't really much return her vibrant nature.

 ** _"Haru. I have something to tell you."_**

"What, Katsuki? By the way, I'll start my treatment later so I'll give my best shot!"

"Haru."

"You look so serious, Katsuki. What's wrong?"

"About last night..."

"Katsuki, I'm sorry I let you see my side like that. But, now, I'm fine!"

"Haru. Listen."

"Hm?"

Katsuki deeply sighed, curling his fist together, "I will fucking dominate UA this time so..."

"Katsuki?"

 ** _"I rather not see you this time."_**

All of a sudden, her vibrant area dropped down. Chiharu's smile turned into a frown, shaking from what she heard, "Eh…? Huh? It's this a joke?"

"I'm not joking."

"Katsuki, do—"

The call abruptly got cut off. Katsuki doesn't know whether he's thankful that because of the shitty signal he doesn't have to hear her getting sad. It's not good for him and if he ever hears that he'll back down from his decision. As he's about to go back to the classroom, he felt something shakily within the floor. Snappishly, the ground is moving and the noise is like extended thunder only worse because the vibrations are coming from below.

"What the fu—" He scrambled up to his feet to maintain his balance but most immediately lost balance, falling loudly to the floor. Observing his surroundings, he began to see some of the things shaking vigorously, "Earthquake?" However, from the corner of his eyes, he can see something that nearly threw him off. Within the hallway, he can see some little pebbles, seemingly, floating a bit. And that's when something hit him right. Eventually, the Earthquake ended and so the pebbles lost its ability to float.

 ** _KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!_**

The alarm resounded all over the whole campus. But, the whole Earthquake scenario did bother him a lot—especially those pebbles. This isn't just an ordinary Earthquake. As he continues to assess his situation, he began to think of someone who has this similar quirk—the quirk that he knew for ages. He first saw that effect when he's in middle school before that night happened.

"What the fucking hell…?" He murmured, while contemplating about all these things as heads out towards the fire exit.

"Isn't this…?"

"Haru's quirk?"

* * *

The ruckus ended when the students found out that it's just the press trespassing the area. And somehow, the scenario turns out that Izuku passed his role as a class representative to Tenya, which made Katsuki confuse. Well, like he cares for this damn extras. He needs to train hard. He needs to focus on his goals right. That's the reason behind letting go of her presence. Now that the changing of class representative has passed, Shota tasked them to change on their hero costumes as they head out of the campus.

Currently, here they are, in a big dome that really looks like the Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. The hero named Thirteen discussed about what will happen within their class when something disrupted them. A purple hole suddenly emerged in the center of the place; making all of them confused. However, some strangers began to enter the place from the purple without any permission at all. People kept coming and coming until the last man appeared. Upon seeing the familiar appearance of Shigaraki Tomura and Nomu, Katsuki snapped. His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth went hanging. What the fucking hell are they doing here?

His brain stutters for a moment and his eyes take in lighter than he expected, every part of his goes on pause while his thoughts catch up. The guy that he never ever wanted to see again. The root of all the things that happened to him lately. That guy with that fucking monster beside him are the ones who almost took Chiharu's life is now right in front of him. Words left him. He tried to remain composed but his sanity left him when that motherfucking bullshit of a bastard met his crimson eyes with his. Even though, Tomura is wearing a mask, covering his features, he knew that the asshole is fucking smiling at him. He knew he recognized him from that night, and that was the breaking point of his patience. At that moment, he was blinded by a five-course serving of rage that tasted bitter, yet surprisingly satisfying.

Katsuki's shaking but not because of fear, but because of hatred. Hate and enmity welled up in his heart, fury itself burning him up.

"K…acchan?" Izuku noticed how Katsuki changed his attitude upon seeing those men.

Some of their classmates even chided, "Who is these people, anyway?!" Nonetheless, Katsuki couldn't hear anything at all. He's too focused scowling upon the guy in front of them. He's anger began to envelope him.

"Dude, are you alright!?" Eijirou instinctively taps his shoulder, but Katsuki violently shrugs his hand off and unconsciously glared him to looked at him through wide red-rimmed eyes, his mouth slightly open and a glisten of snot above his cracked lips. The way his eyes squinted when he glared at him reminded him of a pit viper's slit-like pupils. He gulped nervously. He knew that the ash-blond has the word 'anger' embedded to his core being, but this is on another level. Something is definitely wrong as soon as they saw those people.

Izuku gulped, trying to talk to his childhood friend, "Kacchan, a-are you al—"

"Shut the fuck up!" He shouted, making all of them silent. All the murmurs and whispers are gone, and they all focused their attention to Katsuki. Even Shota is surprised upon his sudden outburst, but still remained calm as he assessed the situation.

"That Bastard…" The explosive teen muttered under his breath,

 _"I will fucking…"_

Then, all of a sudden, he's taken back to the time where Chiharu have to sacrifice herself for his safety. And her words rings to him like a resounding gong and a clanging cymbal.

 ** _"Good bye, Kacchan."_**

 _"Kill…"_

"K-Kaccha—"

Red. Everything went red. His vision blurred as a flame curled in the pit of his stomach. His brain went on overdrive as it picked every moment that he'd spent crying. The memories weighed down on him but instead of breaking even more, his heart turned ice cold and slunk into the shadows as his brain took complete control. The flames in his stomach rose up to his chest and crawling through his veins, taking over the rest of his body. His fingers coiled into fists. Biting his lips until it bled, but he barely felt it. Waves of fury rolled off him as the blood rose to his cheeks. The term anger, barely even touched the tip of the volcano that his so clearly was in that moment. And now, he has decided.

 **"I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!"** He screamed, and the next few seconds utterly surprised them.

"What the fu—" Eijirou is surprised from his outburst, but even more shocked that Katsuki propelled himself to the air and towards Tomura.

"Bakugou!?" His classmates called out.

"Kacchan!" Izuku's eyes broadened upon witnessing Katsuki blasting himself towards the man in front of them. Sweat trickling down to his features as they see the raging aura of the ash-blond. This is something horrendous! Shota's eyes widened, there's something really going on and he needs to act on it right now.

 _That guy who took her legs!_

 _That guy who killed her mother!_

 _That guy who killed her future!_

 _That guy who took everything to her!_

 _That guy who took away her smile!_

 _This guy I will..._

 **"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!"**

Tomura's grin became wider, looking on to the ash-blonde as he hurls its way towards him, "Interesting…."

* * *

Author's Note:

Someone's gonna be a dead meat this next few chapters. Hooray, USJ is here! Gotta make myself motivated! And yup, sorry for not updating for a while, school stuff needs to be done right off the bat. Fortunately, I squished this chapter in my remaining amount of time. Thank you so much for reading and let me know your thoughts~


	31. Chapter 31: Animosity

Chapter 31: Animosity

* * *

"Almost there, Aragaki-san."

Chiharu puffed heavily, her trembling hands gripped hardly towards the railing as if it's her life support. She tried to push her way towards the end of railings, sweat trickling down her chin. Above all else, she needs to work herself harder for her to get discharge in this hospital. Izuku and Katsuki are working hard for their goals, so she has to as well. She needs to see her friends. She needs to see him…

 _She needs Katsuki…_

However, she wasn't able to push further as she loses her balance and stumble down the floor. Gasping for air, the nurse began to assist her to offer some water to her. While Chiharu steadies her breathing, the nurse began to ask her some questions, "Why are you pushing yourself too much, Aragaki-san? You can take your time and learn these things."

"I can't. I don't have the time." She breathe, continuing, "Every time I got stuck on this hospital, something is happening out there. And as time goes by without seeing him, I know our distance gets farther and farther…" Her eyes landed to her trembling hands, mumbling the rest of her statement, "That's why I have to get out of here… _And knock some senses to that guy._ "

"But, Aragaki-san," The nurse smiled at her, "do not push yourself too hard, alright?"

"Yes, don't worry."

"One more thing, next time do not sleep within the garden alright?"

"Eh?" Her mouth hangs open for a bit, puzzled by the words of her nurse. She hasn't been in the garden this day. Also, she hasn't slept there. _What is she telling?_

"A while ago, I found you sleeping within the garden. I thought that you ran away from the hospital since you're not in your room."

"I… didn't go there." Chiharu replied, but the nurse shrugged her answer off, "Oh, silly. I'm the one who brought you in your room. Next time, don't do it."

Chiharu stopped, then contemplated. She's sure that she didn't even step outside her room within this day. Strange things kept on happening ever since she encountered that 'thing'. After she received a call from Katsuki that he'd rather not see her again, everything went blank within her. She assumed that she fainted from the shock since she woke up in her same spot as well.

What the hell is happening?

"That's not me…"

* * *

"Kacchan, wait!"

"Bakugou!"

"Bakugou!"

Shota clicked his tongue, as they witnessed on how uncontrollably Katsuki rampages towards Tomura. He didn't expect this kind of scenario at all. Even if Katsuki is known for his short-temper, he knows the value of 'thinking' and not hastily charging towards the enemy. Now, what makes the explosive teen act like this? Its quiet obvious because of one girl—Chiharu. They're sort of connected with the villain.

Before Katsuki can launch his attack towards him as well as Tomura extending his hands towards Katsuki, Shota quickly hurls his capturing weapon towards him, fortunately, binding him from the last minute of his attack as he activated his quirk to stop the ash-blonde from further using his quirk. Eventually, Shota pulled Katsuki back to the students with a loud 'thud'.

"What the fucking hell?! Why did you stop me?" Katsuki grumbled, staggering himself to stand to his own feet.

"Bakugou!" Shota called, which silenced all of them. It is rare for Shota to use his pent up energy to call someone. Because of that, they know that something is wrong, "We'll talk later about that guy and your connection with him later…" He pointed at the grinning Tomura, and glared straight to his core, "For now, think about it. If ever Chiharu finds out about this, will she even be pleased? I know the two of you are somehow connected to that guy but think of the decision that you made. You left her **_again_ ,** right?"

"Again?" Izuku muttered, glancing towards the seething ash-blonde, "Why… Kacchan?"

From the moment, his hatred to Tomura sparked to the way Chiharu's eyes are already lifeless from the she knew about her dream being postponed. It seems like everything is… jumbled. Mezo folded a pair of his arms across his chest as the others transformed into eyes, ears, and a single nose. It looked like they were scanning the area, stretching in every direction.

"The mist and the man next to him are talking about All Might," he said, his eyes narrowed. "It appears they were expecting him to be here," he paused, hesitant. "They want to kill him."

"Their target is the Number One Pro Hero?" Hanta asked, the deep set frown on his face feeling foreign on his features. "Guess they're not so bright, huh?"

As if on cue, a number of Villains erupted into cheers, and the way they were grinning was unnerving. The fact that they were close enough now for us to hear their cackles was admittedly terrifying in itself.

"We'll have to get help ourselves," Shota muttered.

There was a pause in the conversation as they struggled to figure out how to do just that. Thirteen took that chance to step forward and dip his head towards Tenya, whose posture stiffened at the reverent gesture.

"Class Representative, I entrust this to you," Thirteen said. "Please run to the main campus and inform them of the current situation. Do not look back."

"Pardon me?" Tenya stuttered.

"I can't stall any longer," Shota said, adjusting his goggles. "Protect the students, Thirteen. Get out as soon as you can, but stay close together in case the warper comes. Iida, you go on ahead. Don't look back."

Tenya shook his head. "Sensei—"

"Bakugou," Shota exclaimed, looking back to the ash-blonde who is currently perplexed in his current situation, "Be calm. Before making those choices to your own, think of the person who'll benefit from what you're doing. Until then, do not make hasty choices, got that? Don't make Chiharu cry again."

"Iida! We trust you that's why like our teachers said," Eijirou said, hardening his hands. "No matter what, don't look behind you. Just trust us to watch your back!"

Mashirao straighten his tail, Kyoka extends her earphone jacks, and Denki store electricity in his fingertips, anyone almost thought they are having some kind of outer body experience. Tenya must've seen what his classmates are eager to do because he took one long look at them and finally nodded.

"I fucking know. Don't boss me around…" Katsuki murmured, stealing a glance towards the warper then to Tomura. Swearing to himself that he'll get back to those people who took away everything from her.

Ochako stepped forward, her eyes stark with a determination that stifled the lingering fear in them. "We might not be able to take them head on, but I'm sure we can hold our ground until back up comes!"

"All Might isn't here to protect us," Izuku murmured, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "This time, we have to depend on each other!"

He was right. All of them were. It didn't matter anymore who these Villains were or how they got here or why they were even here in the first place. This was no longer a simulation, nor was there time to think about the what-ifs. The enemy was ready for war, and they'd fight not to defeat them, but to help each other survive.

"Don't do anything reckless," Shota said, "Especially you, Bakugou. If Chiharu gets a hang of this, what will you do?"

"Tsk," Katsuki clicked his tongue, digging his thoughts about his memories with Chiharu. He didn't want her to be sad but he wanted to get that asshole's ass as well… Everything is for her, right?

Thirteen inhaled and nodded. His Quirk had a significant disadvantage in terms of combat, but everyone knew he was more committed than all of them combined. "Same to you, senpai."

"Please don't worry about us," Momo said, dipping her head. "This fight will require your undivided attention, sensei. We'll stay out of your way as much as we can."

Villains stood at the base of the stairs leading up to the area where we were located. It looked like there were a few with long distance Quirks, but they were still far enough to be out of range, and the majority at the center appeared to have skills heavily dependent on close combat.

"Be safe, everyone."

He crouched to the floor and then lunged.

Everyone moved at the same time, not bothering to stick around to watch. By the immediate grunts and screeches sounding throughout the stadium, everyone knew Shota had things under control. Thirteen ushered the students and soon enough, their pounding footsteps drowned out the fight behind them.

 _"I'm afraid I can't let you leave."_

They didn't react quite as severely when the flurry of purple mist warped in front of them.

"Who are you?" Eijirou demanded.

"We are the League of Villains," the warper said, flickering like a flame rapidly spreading around them. "It might be a bit presumptuous to admit it, but I suppose you won't live to spread the news. We've invited ourselves here to ensure that the Symbol of Peace takes his final breath."

Thirteen opened the capsules on his gloves in preparation to consume the mist with his Quirk. However, as for Katsuki, that's not the case. He's still throbbing in pure hatred on how things turned out this way. If he can't handle the son of the bitch from afar, then he might as well beat the crap out of his lil' shitty friends. No one can stop him right now. He is fucking enraged.

Eijirou noticed how Katsuki is getting fidgety in himself for some reasons. Even then he knew that Katsuki is about to do something to the warper, and decided that whatever he does, he'll back him up. He believes that the ash-blond still has his brain intact with him.

Everything after that happened impossibly fast.

"I've kept you long enough," the mist said, his voice reverberating as if he was nowhere and everywhere at the same time. "This is the part where you scatter."

Thirteen started the absorption process before any of them even realized he moved. Threads of black and purple billowed around him as he attempted to vacuum his opponent, but at the last second, the mist created a warp gate that transported the attack elsewhere. It fluttered twice, thrice, even a fourth time as it decided on a place to emerge, and much to our shock, that happened to be right behind their teacher.

 _Too_ _slow_ , he said.

A miniature waterfall surrounded Thirteen which prevented him from getting sucked into his own black hole long enough for him to shut the aperture at his fingertips. His suit was torn and tattered in a number of places that served as a reminder that they're not fast enough, but he was here, and he was alive, and that was all that mattered for now.

"I should've known not to underestimate you," the warper mused. "Despite being mere children, you've proven you really are the elite."

Right of the bat, Katsuki was in the air before the mist fully gathered himself. His fists were drawn and then suddenly they were in front of him, an explosion sounding as he aimed his attack at the ill prepared Villain. In the midst of the smoke, Thirteen-sensei staggered to his feet.

"Go now, Class President!"

Whatever reservations Tenya had about his mission completely flew out the window. He shot towards the entrance like he was flying himself, pushing at the door within seconds. The mist surfaced right behind him. He fired another explosion, blowing away the wisps of purple twisting around their bespectacled classmate long enough for him to squeeze outside.

"You shouldn't have done that," the warper seethed, his body spreading through the room like a conflagration ready to engulf everything in its path. "Pray your little friend doesn't show his face here again. I'll make sure he suffers a fate even worse than yours."

"Grab hold of someone!" Thirteen shouted.

Their senses were once again smothered by the darkness as threads of black and purple swept through them like a heavy gust of wind.

At this moment, they vanished right on the spot.

* * *

 _"Bakugou! Bakugou! Wake up!"_

Somehow, it felt like Katsuki is enveloped by complete darkness. He didn't know whether something bad happened to him or not; it's just that he doesn't have any resolve to wake himself up. Well, he kind of wishes that he'll stay here for a while. This is something a coward may do, but he wanted to rest because honestly he is fucking tired of this emotional turmoil he's been undergoing.

"Bakugou!"

"Bakugou!"

That annoying voice is calling him again… Yet, that doesn't drive him to wake up at all. He knows that it's some kind of his annoying classmate but who cares…? He wanted to escape reality for once… His name continuously echoed within him, over and over.

 _Bakugou!_

 _Bakugou!_

 _Bakugou!_

However, that voice disappeared bit by bit and changed into someone's voice who is really close to him.

 ** _Katsuki…?_**

 ** _Katsuki!_**

 ** _Wake up!_**

 ** _Katsuki!_**

Katsuki grunted, opening his eyes rapidly and is greeted by Eijirou's beaming eyes, "Fuck off, shitty hair." Who is he kidding? Chiharu isn't with him. The annoying one a while ago is Eijirou who keeps on gazing on his crimson eyes. As if on cue, he pushed aside Eijirou and sits back as he glares at him, "Where the fucking hell are we?"

"Well, I don't know. The warper just brought us here. We need to regroup with our classmates as soon as possible." As the red-head is explaining their current situation, Katsuki stood up from his sit, leaving him curious, "Bakugou…?"

Katsuki began to survey his surroundings, looking side by side, he knew something is wrong. It's audibly silent and that they're still within the premises of USJ, "We're still here. Plus, fucking villains are waiting to get our ass kick… Well, like hell, I'll let them do that to me…"

Gnashing his teeth and tightening his fist together, he remembered how Tomura welcomingly smiled at him when he's about to kick his ass. He's sure that he is aware of what he did to them and he knows that he caused a havoc to their lives. And that gesture only caused him to be stirred and enraged, "I have to fucking kill that hand bastard…"

White knuckles from clenching his fist too hard, and gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, his hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, and potent. His face was red with suppressed rage, all he can mutter in his head is to end all this things; killing that fucking bastard.

"B-Bakugou? Are you alright?" Eijirou asked. At this point the red-head has been worried about the current reactions of the explosive teen. So, when he sets a finger on his shoulder, he swung around and mentally snapped.

"Do not fucking touch me, dipshit!" At this moment, Eijirou something is definitely wrong with him. Katsuki's eyes screams vengeance. The word hatred is plastered all over his face, and it felt like he is facing a monster ready to devour its in any moment.

.

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 _Is this Bakugou Katsuki?_

"Bakugou, if you're thinking to charge into that villain. I think you should sto—"

"Huh? Who the fuck are you? Don't tell me what to do, piece of shit."

"Bakugou! Didn't Aizawa-sensei told us that we should stay out of the field!? I don't know what that villain did to you but calm d—"

"Don't fucking tell me what to do!"

Without any further hesitation, Katsuki began to release an amount of explosion towards Eijirou. Fortunately, Eijirou is fast enough to enable his hardening as he receives the explosion that the ash-blonde released, sending him flying from the other room. The ground began to shake as the smoke from impact subsided revealing a sturdy Eijirou.

"Woah, Bakugou! What's that for!? Calm down! We have villains to deal wi—"

"Like hell, I'll do that!"

Out of nowhere, villains from various places began to attack them. However, Katsuki is so enraged by the way things are going and unleashed every explosions to the corners of the building, without caring whether Eijirou gets hit or not.

"Bakugou! Calm down!"

Fortunately, the explosive teen is able to silence the villains. But that wasn't the case, Eijirou could feel that he is acting out of emotional struggle that it wasn't good for the current situation at all. Abruptly, he's reminded by the words Shouta gave out to Katsuki a while ago,

 ** _"Bakugou," Shota exclaimed, looking back to the ash-blonde who is currently perplexed in his current situation, "Be calm. Before making those choices to your own, think of the person who'll benefit from what you're doing. Until then, do not make hasty choices, got that? Don't make Chiharu cry again."_**

"Is it about Chiharu-chan, the girl that Aizawa-sensei mentioned earlier? Just wha—"

"Don't… fucking… call her… casually! Who the fucking hell are you anyway!?" Again, Katsuki began to hover against Eijirou and plants a enormous amount of explosion. The red-head dodged it swiftly, leaving a gigantic hole in the floor. From that hole, anyone can see the floor below it. "Don't act like you know her… Shitty hair."

"Then, tell me!" Eijirou called out desperately, "Tell me everything because I don't want to judge you like I did before! I am not the enemy!"

"It got nothing to do with you!" He wasn't thinking when he let out his boiling antipathy and swung his tight fist, too quick and potent, into Eijirou's defined jaw; the impact like thousands of venomous blades piercing apart his clammed fist. It lead him to one conclusion: Bakugou Katsuki needs help.

It's too bad that he wasn't able to activate his quirk but Eijirou replied despite the bruises he had, "Do you think Chiharu-chan will be happy the way you do things this way!? Chiharu-chan just wishes the best for you! Why don't you realize it!?"

"Chiharu-chan… Chiharu-chan… Shut the fucking hell up!" Katsuki swings up his fist towards Eijirou, hitting him again for the second time. Luckily, he doesn't have the plan to reciprocate all of the ash-blonde's punches as it will only fuel his anger towards their situation. Then, the explosive continued, "What do you even know anyway? Did you saw her that time? Hell no, you didn't! Don't tell me what to fucking do! Listen, she's Aragaki Chiharu that girl who is on the fucking news this whole time! That girl who has her dreams snatched! She nearly died in front of me! Do you fucking imagine that?"

"Bakugou…"

"Yeah, you're not there, right? You're just a fucking stingy guy who keeps his nose to other people's problems?! You don't know anything. You don't know anything that we've been through. You don't know how it feels to have someone precious to you being snatched away from you. If I want to fucking kill that guy then I will. If I have to turn as an asshole for her sake then I'll do it... I don't even have the right to live anymore and pursue everything... Everything is fucking useless."

Eijirou had it. Even if he plans not to fight back, it felt like he wanted to make Katsuki face reality—everything is true. It only pisses him off on how this guy standing here right in front of him is someone she proudly tells him off. It pisses him that Chiharu thinks highly of this guy. And it pisses him off that he judged this guy without knowing the full context... He wanted to help. He wanted to make Katsuki realize everything.

"Yeah, right. I don't know anything."

Apologizing to Chiharu in his thoughts, he threw his body weight behind the fist that edged closer to Katsuki's face. It hit his jaw with such force as blood pooled into his mouth; sending him flying into the ground. His chest gently rose and sank with each shallow breath he drew in. Marching towards him, Eijirou brought his hands and grasped his tank top with his hands, "The problem is you, Bakugou!

"Huh?! Get the fuck of me!"

"You leaving her, _again._ " Eijirou began to scream his thoughts at the top of his lungs, "Do you know how hard that is!? Did you see her the time when she cries secretly because of you? Yeah, I don't know anything. I'm just a stranger. But I saw it, her tears… Those six months that you left her! If ever she's here will she be glad that you cut ties with her!?"

While Eijirou is having his moment, Katsuki tried to struggle from his gripped. Why the hell this guy knows everything? Who is he anyway!? However, from that moment, Katsuki's crimson eyes met his and that's when something hit him like a truck. It felt like he met this guy somewhere from UA. Digging his thoughts to the possibility of his encounter with him, then it led to him at the moment he met a certain black-haired guy from the hospital Chiharu resided. Yes, that asshole who FUCKING confessed his feelings about her right in front of his face.

 ** _Is he…that…asshole?_**

Eijirou continued, "This is why I really hate your guts! You're arrogant, you're foul-mouthed, and you kept on leaving her! I don't know what Chiharu-chan saw in you! I'm so confused! What's with you, anyway!? What does she sees in you!? Why the hell she is friends with you!? Why the hell is she smiling when she is with you!? Why is she crying for you?! Why the hell…"

Then and there, Eijirou began to reminisce his friendship and feelings with Chiharu. The way she laughs, cries and speaks out her thoughts draws him more. However, even if he's the one by her side, even if he's the one trying his best to cheer her up, even if he's the one who've been there for her, in the… Chiharu longs for Katsuki…

"Why… the hell…"

 ** _Does she likes you…more than me…?_**

"Listen, I am fucking doing this for her sake!"

"Is it really for her?" Eijirou tightens his grip within Katsuki's tank top. With all the anger pulsing in every bit of his veins, he couldn't contain his composure and wanted to know more about the ash-blond, "I'm asking you if it's really for her sake or for YOUR own sake?!"

Hearing how Eijirou questions his own actions hit a nail to him. At this time, he couldn't bring himself to snap back against him nor pummel him down; he just can't. He hated it that something in his words made him become like this. Only he can do is let out a soft 'Shut up' to him as he watches Eijirou pouring out everything.

"You're doing this for your own sake! You're not listening to her wishes at all. You're always leaving her like it's your fucking hobby! You're always hurting her. You're getting your hatred ahead of you! Why? Is it because you're guilty of what happened? Is it because you failed her!? What!? Why!? Bakugou, it's not your fucking fault! Chiharu-chan made it clear last time you talked, right?! The both of you don't want these things to happen!"

 ** _This fucking useless asshole… Who the hell is he really? Did I fucking met him already!? It's as if he already knew her._**

"Yeah, are you sure you're doing this for her or you're doing these things for your own sake? So that, the guilt within you will leave you. Is she happy? Did she allow you!? Bakugou, you're not listening to her wishes at all. If you're really doing this for her sake, then suck it up, and do not make decisions to your own self!"

"Shut up…"

"Is she even happy the way you do things? You're only doing these things because you'r running away from her and from your feelings." Eijirou added, **"She's not even asking you to leave her alone!"**

"Chiharu-chan already stated that she's happy that you reunited yet again, you're leaving her again. For whose sake? You're throwing her away it was as if she's just a garbage?! What do you think of her anyway!? She's a fucking princess, Bakugou!" With the way Eijirou is going, Katsuki is ready to pounce the guy.

"She's not a fucking princess, you dumb asshole! She is... She is..." Katsuki's voice faded when he's reminded of one thing.

 ** _Queen._**

 **She is MY queen.**

"So, if she's not a princess then what? You don't treat her as if she's precious to you! You fucking imprudent asshole! Wake up, Bakugou! Chiharu-chan is tired of this... Sure, hell, you're really doing this for her!"

"Shut the fucking hell up!" Katsuki finally has the urge to push him away with every ounce of his strength. Once again, he can feel himself getting emotional. When it comes to Chiharu, he's been an emotional wreck. Heck, now, he's about to breakdown in front of this guy who he barely know.

"Yeah, it's for my fucking sake!" He told him, "Call me everything! Asshole! Bastard! Dumbass for leaving her! Imprudent! Selfish! Yes! Call me! I deserve those fucking names! Because I don't know what to do anymore… I don't know what will make her happy. I told her I'll fucking protect her yet when she needed me the most, I couldn't be there… I am an asshole…"

There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. Eijirou watched. He watched Katsuki's eyes. Then he knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain, like a cornered soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, lonely, desperate.

 _Is this… the Bakugou he knew?_

 _Is this the Bakugou who's a foul-mouth and has a brash attitude?_

 _Is this… really him?_

Eijirou is distraught. Is this what Izuku really meant upon stating those facts? Fuck, he could see from Katsuki's eyes how deep he cares for her. The stranger here is him, not the ash-blonde. The one who knows her wholly is him. Why is he blind about these things? Why did he kept on pushing himself to Chiharu when he knew that the right guy for her is right in front of him?

"I fucking know that I am fucking bastard! Name it! I fucking know! I know that in my decision, I bet she'll be crying again! But that's the only thing I know I can do for her! She needs to be free because I've been fucking caging her in me for fucking years! I fucking told her that I'll be her king yet I couldn't do anything at all. I couldn't make her happy! I fucking couldn't protect her! I don't fucking know what to do! No one is telling me what to do! I tried to think of fucking ways to make these things work but nothing is showing up…"

His dark lashes brimmed heavy with tears; his hands clenched into shaking fists, in a desperate battle against the grief, "She's not the Haru that I knew anymore! She's fucking lifeless! I took everything away from her then… I do have the guts to make myself be the number one hero to claim my dream while she's there taking therapies for her fucking legs and there's no absolute news whether she'll be able to achieve her dreams or what?! All my life, I've been the one receiving all the happiness. Yet… I can't do anything… I don't fucking deserve her! I fucking don't! Then, you tell me to stay there with her; that will only make me selfish for wishing for more!"

His shoulders shaking with grief, tears were streaming down his already wet cheeks, "Then I saw it… I saw him again… That asshole on the same night… with that fucking monster… They are the ones who… almost took her away… I will never… forgive him… I will fucking kill him… I thought that maybe if I fucking destroy that asshole then the chains that bounds the both of us will set us free. I want her to be fucking happy… to turn everything the way it was…."

"Haru is a gift to me. I fucking don't know whether I'll survive these hell without her. But, she has her fucking life… She doesn't deserve this bullshit! Yeah, I am a fucking insensitive asshole… But I deserve it..."

"Stupid!" Eijirou called out.

"What the fucking hell!?"

Eijirou screamed, pouring out his thoughts to the ash-blonde, "What's wrong for wishing for more? What's wrong for being selfish? It's not like you're the only one who's happy here. Haven't you see it… She smiles eagerly when you're around. She shines brighter when you're with her… Her world revolves around you! Hell, you're one lucky guy, Bakugou! I tried to be like you… yet… the only one she can see right now is you. Chiharu-chan is the happiest person you could ever meet every time she talks about you. Don't you understand it, you need each other. Chiharu-chan has no one. Don't leave her as well because everyone left, right? The only she has right now… is you, Bakugou."

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"Do you have someone you like?"

"What's with that question?" Chiharu chuckles on her wheel chair, "Rei-san..." A shoulder-length white hair with turquoise eyes smiled to her, sitting beside Chiharu. With a deep sigh, she began to adore the sky with the wavy petrol-blue hair girl, "Well, I miss having this kind of conversation especially I'm away from my family… Upon mentioning that 'someone', did that person flashed into your mind? Well, you're beautiful so maybe someone already confessed to you?"

"S-S-S-Stop it, R-Rei-san!"

"So you have one! Anyway, who's the lucky guy who popped out of your mind?"

"Like, huh? I don't really know if I like him to that extent. He's my favorite person! But…

"But…?

"I don't think I have the right to love or like a person… Everyone is leaving me… I think that I don't deserve to feel love at all... I only brought excruciating pain and sadness... It kind of hurts... My favorite person... He told me that he'd rather not see me anymore—My king."

* * *

Author's Note:

I am alive just so you know. So, I wrote a long chapter for everyone to compensate for my inactivity. I deeply apologize for my lack of updates. I've been busy about yep, school as always. Anyway, I tried to build a relationship between katsuki and Eijirou as well, in the anime itself, it wasn't really built at all. So, I wanted to make an interaction to why they became close friends!

Thank you everyone for still following this story. Eijirou isn't a bad guy! Lol. Thank you for the comments as well!


	32. Chapter 32: Fleeting Emotions

Chapter 32: Fleeting Emotions and Feelings

* * *

Shota has been fighting the villains for moments already. As expected, he's been quite tired from all the ruckus and events that is unfolding within his eyes. Speaking of his eyes, he's been straining it for a quite while that he has no time to put his eye drops on it. Although, he has still some fleeting thoughts to Katsuki's reaction towards Tomura. He better finds out the mystery behind their interaction. And guessing from the ash-blond's way of handling things in his hands, Shota is dead sure that Tomura is connected to the villain attack concerning Chiharu. Well, Katsuki won't rampage nor get hysterical if it doesn't concern her at all.

Suddenly, Tomura sneaked out an attack towards him and coincidentally used his quirk to Shota without him knowing causing to make his elbow crumble. Unfortunately, Tomura guessed the gist of his quirk, and as quickly as possible, Shota distance himself from the dangerous guy and swiftly tried to counter back some reoccurring villains. With the way the villains discovered how his quirk works limits his capacity to pacify the problem on hand. It is true that he isn't good at handling combats like this but he shouldn't be intimidated. However, as he's busy dodging the attacks of the other villains, he didn't notice that the Nomu began to attack him by his back and crushed his injured elbow.

"Aizawa-sensei!" Izuku screamed from afar to which Tomura noticed immediately.

The Nomu continuously pounce Shota to no-good which made Izuku, Minoru and Tsuyu aghast by what is unfolding within their line of sight. Blood trickles down to his shoulder and head as Shota's horrifying scream reaches them. Suddenly, Tomura lunges towards Izuku's way and began to reach out for Tsuyu, Izuku and Minoru who are shocked towards the scenario as it blatantly plays slowly within their eyes, as Tomura is about to activate his quirk and crumble down Tsuyu when…

"Hey, shithead!"

A husky and deep voice is heard all over the premises. Tomura stopped right before it reaches Tsuyu's features. His eyes began to scan the whole area and began to see Katsuki hovering himself within the sky with his quirk; a dark and menacing aura surrounding him.

"Your opponent isn't that fucking useless dimwit!"

"Kacchan!"

Katsuki lurched forward, dangerous amounts of nitroglycerin concentrated at his palms. Not a moment too soon an explosion went off above their heads, and through the smoke, he latched onto the tin man like a ticking bomb strapped to its target. Tomura distance himself from them as Izuku began to snatch Tsuyu away from the dangerous man.

"Yo, it's been motherfucking half a year wasn't it?" Katsuki's eyes widened, his hands are furiously shaking from anger.

"Bakugo… Katsuki…" Tomura grins like a Cheshire cat and it absolutely pisses the ash-blond off. Taking a look onto his surroundings, he saw how awful Shota became to be; swimming within his own pool of red blood. This scenario ticks him like a ticking time bomb. If Chiharu was able to see this, she'll be absolutely horrified… and of course, that's also the same as he is feeling.

He knows that Eijirou has a point a while ago. He should not be reckless because Chiharu is waiting for him. But, seeing the way things are, who are they kidding? Is there anyone who could help them? Right now, the one who could help is them. Their teacher is out, and he doesn't have the slightest clue of his situation.

"I… will fucking kill you!"

"Interesting…" Tomura murmured, smiling eerily to himself, "Let's see if, you'll be able to."

Kurogiri appeared beside Tomura, telling him the news that someone escaped from his clutches which made him further disappointed.

"Fine, that's just one kid. Let's wait for the main boss to come before fleeing this place."

"I'm fucking tired of hearing you mumble about dumb shit," Bakugou growled, abruptly launching himself into the air.

"A-Asu—I mean, Tsuyu-chan and Mineta-kun, if you can, on the right timing please rescue Aizawa-sensei!" Izuku ordered, which made the two racing to the end of the warzone to prepare for their strategy. As Eijirou began to join forces with him, they tried to assess and support Katsuki with all their mights.

"Kirishima-kun, has Kacchan calmed down?"

"Yup," Eijirou smiled at him, "We have to believe him. He knows what he's doing."

The creature held his ground in front of Tomura but neither he nor the monster itself was the intended target. Katsuki swung a fist at Kurogiri, and to their surprise, his signature right hook landed on a solid body. An explosion erupted from his palms, creating a smokescreen that filled the area, and when the smoke cleared the blond had the warper trapped beneath his fingertips.

"I saw the metal when you tried keeping the two-bit extra from leaving," Katsuki smirked, his own crimson eyes flashing. "Try to move and I'll blast you to fucking oblivion."

The only person left on the opposite side of the war zone was the blond keeping the warp gate user at bay. With how incensed the mint haired man was becoming, they had a feeling it was only a matter of time before he tried attacking one of them again, and they felt a knot in my stomach knowing exactly who it was going to be.

"Brats," He spat. "You're all brats! How? How did you manage to steal them so fast?"

His nails scratching furiously at his neck. "I'll kill you all just for being pests." Just as he told them that, the Nomu began to rampage speedily all over the places and began to attack them. As Izuku tries to fight back, the Nomu quickly grabs him and hurls him to nowhere causing him to crash into a sturdy wall, falling back to the wall. Eijirou began to harden himself as Katsuki tried to retreat himself from Kurogiri but it's no use. As the huge monster is too fast for them to keep at, Eijirou found himself flying onto the sky, as it hurled him away from the blond just like Izuku. Tsuyu and Minoru were shocked by the turn of events and decided to be still in their movements, because they never know what will happen.

A string of curses unraveled from Katsuki's tongue, like yarn unfurling, as the creature advanced. It's purple skin shimmered with hot anger along with it's dark, cold eyes. Every step it took rattled his bones and struck his heart. He tried to dodge a swing from its massive hand, but it struck his side and he tumbled into the dirt. He could hear nothing all was silenced, the yells of the two people and the hisses of the creature.

The Nomu pinned him down, taking a toll to both of his arms and legs, as Tomura felt like laughing, walking closer to him with a huge hefty grin plastered into his features. Katsuki continued to struggle from his grip, but to no avail, he can sense that it's too strong to fight onto.

"You're the one who's behind Haru's incident?! Fucking answer me! Bastard!" Katsuki shouted in pure distress, which made Tomura quickly hastened his attention towards the raging ash-blond in front of him. He began to dig his thoughts to whom this girl he is talking about, "Haru?" And then suddenly, he remembered about a certain wavy petrol-blue hair girl which made him chuckle eavily for a bit, "Ahhh, Aragaki Chiharu? That was too easy… She's a small prey to test out Nomu's powers. Be lucky that I let her live for you.

"W-What?"

A cruel sneer formed on his smooth face and he leaned forward, eyes bearing straight into him, "Her screams of terror are too interesting. Oh, I just remembered that you're there, right? You're her bodyguard? If it wasn't for Sensei, I will be leaving her there dead already."

"C-Chi-chan actually…?!" Izuku whispered, slowly trailing his vision towards the ash-blond as strength continuously left him. The person who is responsible to her incident is right in front of them. Now it is only reasonable that Katsuki acted like that. He is distress and filled with anger, that's why he did that.

"That's right," Tomura jeered, laughing at the way Katsuki rages under the hands of the Nomu. The more the explosive teen tried to free himself from the sturdy clutches of the horrendous monster, the more Katsuki can feel the inaudible pain; it felt like his bones is about to snap in a few moments. Screams of agony was heard all over them and Izuku can only feel remorse to what's happening. Hope began to fade within their hands.

Help… Help…

That's what he wanted to say…

He glares at him then spat out **"HOW DARE YOU? I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU, MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD!** "

He sneers at him then laughs only adding fuel to his wrath, "That's right, get angry! Get angry! Hate me! And then scream!"

The Nomu began to tighten his grip towards his arm, resulting him to scream much more.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Stop it! Get away from Bakugou!"

Tsuyu is about to move within her spot when Tomura began to threaten them about their current situation which made her leave with nothing to do but stare upon Katsuki's awful situation.

"Stop it! Stop it! Please!" Izuku pleads, crying within himself. He didn't know anything at all. He didn't know what happened on how Katsuki fought everything for them. And for him, he is too useless to even defend Katsuki from the horrendous monster. Chiharu didn't deserve these things… She is just a simple girl! How can people lavish from seeing people in pain?

"Oh, one more thing, I did that, to test out Nomu's strength. And look at the results, everything turned red… including your beloved 'Haru'".

Everything stopped. He wanted to cry as rage filled his belly. He felt his ears getting hot. Remembering that night where everything vanish right in front of their eyes. There are lots of times when he felt that Chiharu will eternally leave him. All those nightmares and tears that it caused. Chiharu almost died. And the motherfucker is right in front of him, telling him excitingly how he felt that night. He is actually confident and proud that he did it. Chiharu undergone all those things. She felt pain. She almost experienced death. She felt crushed. She felt alone. She felt empty. All for the sake of… testing out that bullshit's strength? Her mother is sacrificed… She almost left… He's given this eternal nightmare and guilt all for this game?

The man who almost left her for dead is here… And he can't do anything at all.

"Don't call her… Haru…" Katsuki spits onto Tomura's features, his eyes flashed with grief and anger, much like lightning on a pitch black night, "You FUCKING don't have the right to do that!"

"Bakugou… Shit!" Eijirou couldn't move from his spot; it felt like the moment Nomu hurled him towards the building he couldn't feel himself anymore. As for Izuku, he couldn't recognize him at all… This isn't the guy he used to know. He's only covered by the flames of anger.

The memories weighed down on Katsuki but instead of breaking even more, his heart turned ice cold and slunk into the shadows as his brain took complete control. The flames in his stomach rose up to his chest and crawling through his veins, took over the rest of his body.

"You think this is fucking funny, motherfucker?" He snaps.

He glares at him with hatred in his cruel dull eyes,"You are an extremely stupid guy. Do not waste the chance that she gave you in order to live. I want to warn you also… Aragaki Chiharu isn't the same as before." He breathes out, tickling his ears, "From now on, that girl… **_belongs_** to me…"

" **SHE FUCKING DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!"**

The heated quarrel continues. It was definitely a war of words and who can hurt the other one worse. Both of them at each other throats like savage hungry dogs fighting over dominance.

"Okay, that's enough. Since you're a pest, and you even spat at me. I am so irritated. I will kill you, pest!" His hand shot out once again, this time reaching for the boy a few feet inches from him. Before either of them could react, he stopped, his fingers quivering as the last of his patience unraveled.

"Damn," the man muttered. "You really are cool, Eraserhead."

Their heads twisted to look at Katsuki, whose expression mirrored as his own as they watched Shota straining to lift his head in front of her. His eyes were bleeding red, both from his injuries and the activation of his Quirk, and the unwavering resolve they held to protect his students, to protect them, nearly brought tears to them.

"Aizawa-sensei!" came a chorus of gasps and cries of relief.

"Aizawa…sensei?" Katsuki weakly muttered upon stumbling the fact that Shota saved him from crumbling down to the hands of the bastard in front of him, "I didn't fucking asked you to-!"

"Don't make decisions… that will leave her crying….Bakugou…" That's Shota's last words when the following action was too fast for them to see, but they heard it, felt it even, and every inch of them froze. There was a rush of pressure as the creature leapt forward, fists drawn as it aimed for Shota who currently had no means of defending himself.

Suddenly, huge blocks of eyes began to pave its way towards Tomura, as the guy jumped off and dodge every bits of ice. As if it's on cue, Shoto screamed towards Izuku and Eijirou, "Take Bakugou away from that guy!"

Even if there's not enough energy for them to move, they tried to push themselves and helped Katsuki who's arms are brutally crushed by the gigantic monster. As they rescued the ash-blond from Tomura, they tried to fight their beating hearts and hoist themselves up. Katsuki tried to stand up as well, refusing to be a damsel in distress in this situation, even if his breathing is getting ragged and his eyesight is failing him. As Nomu is about to rampage again for the umpteenth time, suddenly, the door exploded into pieces and there stood a man. All Might's sudden appearance elicited a plethora of visibly shaken reactions from the coterie gathered All of them were expecting for him to wear his signature grin, unwavering like his promise that everything would be alright, but he appeared not grinning more like exploding in anger. He is utterly annoyed by the situation.

"Oh?" the man chuckled, red eyes glinting dangerously. "Looks like our game over is getting a continuation."

The Symbol of Peace had arrived.

* * *

The hospital hallway has been noisy than the usual. Chiharu, who's been feeling under the weather stopped from reading a book filled with mathematical equations given by Shota, to take a peek upon the matter happening within the premises. To her surprise, lots of nurses began to pave their way with a man lying on the stretcher. And when the stretcher passes by within her purple eyes, she knew something is definitely wrong. The man on the stretcher describes everything about her guardian—Aizawa Shota. Currently, his face is distorted by the blood within his features, purple patches and bruises and dislocated arms. These are enough reason for her to drop everything and make her mouth widened in shocked.

What the hell happened?! Why is he beaten up so bad!?

"Sho-chan…? Sho-chan!" Chiharu tried to race her wheelchair towards the crowd filled with nurses, hovering towards the Emergency room. Screaming for her guardian's name, she desperately matched with them. Then, again, the memory of her family leaving her began to erupt to her mind again. And now, the question is, what's happening? Are her friends alright? She doesn't know what to do. Unfortunately, before she reaches the nurses going to the Emergency room, she's halted by a staff from going further the area.

"Aragaki-san, please stay! No one is allowed to go beyond this area."

"Let go of me! Let go of me!" Pushing all the staff from her way as she tries to reach over the emergency room, she began to scream for the umpteenth time, Sho-chan! Sho-chan! W-Wha… What's happening!?"

Stop… Stop! No more…

Please…

"A-Aragaki-san?!"

" **STOP IT! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"** Great sobs racked her body, as she trudged away. Without realizing, the ground began to shake furiously and all the things within the reception area and the hallway began to float slowly. Everyone is horrified, as they slowly clung to the nearest object they can shelter onto the great Earthquake her quirk is causing. Every tiniest bit of glasses and windows began to creak as her rage took over her.

"A-Aragaki-san, stop it! You're losing control!"

As much as the staff tried to control her rampage, she can't as everything seems to be unclear and fuzzy. All she can think is people leaving her again. She's utterly clueless to what's happening and wanted to scream with all her might. Suddenly, a crude and deep voice began to whisper to her mind.

 **It's all your fault.**

"No… I… urghh… why? Why? I… It's not!"

 **Everyone is leaving because of you.**

 **Everyone is dying because of you…**

 **No one will be there for you…**

"No… I… I… It's not!" The shaking worsened. The walls scream and the lights flicker rapidly before going out altogether. Fear and panic ensued as the ground shook up and down, as if the entire place suddenly fell from the sky and struck the earth with mighty impact.

 _Why is everyone leaving…?_

 _Don't leave me!_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 _Make it stop…_

 _Please make the pain stop…_

 _Stop!_

 _Stop!_

 _Stop…!_

 **"Chi-chan!"**

 **"Haru!"**

Eventually, the earthquake stopped and every floating thing returned to the ground upon hearing the voices of her beloved ones. Snapping her head towards the people behind her from afar, she can catch a glimpse of a curly green-haired guy with bandages and an ash-blond with a sling on his arms worriedly running towards her.

 _This… isn't a dream, right?_

Deep and heavy breathing escaped from her lungs, as tears began to envelope her tired purple eyes. She tried to call them out but no words came out of her mouth at all, as if all the voice within her throat has drained out. Blood slid down from her nose and soaked the cloth material of her uniform, then things began to get fuzzy. Chiharu suddenly took on a pale look, as if she'd been painted with white-wash - even her lips were barely there. Then with one step backwards she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released of their strings.

And everything went blank…

* * *

Chiharu's eyes leisurely opened, her eyelashes faintly batting against her lids when she blinked. She's back to her room, debating whether or not she should get up. Her muscles felt weak, just like her energy. She rubbed the remainders of sleep from her eyes and gazed out at the horizon; its vivid light extended across the night sky. She let out an exasperated sigh, groaning as she rolled off her bed she had been occupying. What time was it? How long had she been asleep? Beside her is a drowsy Izuku, seemingly, trying to stay focused despite the fatigue replenishing him.

"Izu-chan?" Chiharu muttered, calling out the One-for-All user from his deep slumber. Upon hearing her call, Izuku broke out of his dreamland as he jumps out of his seat while stuttering endlessly, "C-Chi-chan! Y-you're awake!"

She chuckled upon the response of her friend, "Yep, I am."

"How's your body? Is there anything aching?" Izuku asked. "You fainted a few hours ago." Helping her adjust her hospital bed to be able to converse to him, she nodded upon his query and began to ask the real situation. At first, Izuku hesitated upon telling her the truth since it's too confidential, however, Chiharu also needs to know what happened to her friends and her guardian, which is why he deliberately told her the truth.

"Aizawa-sensei will surely recover from those injury. He's a strong guy plus he pledged to be your guardian, right?" He smiled at her radiantly, which gave her enough hope to cling onto. If it's Izuku we're talking about, it won't be bad to believe on his facts.

"Izu-chan," She breathed, "You won't leave me, right?"

"What's that?" He chuckled, "From the start, I didn't dare, right? I've been always here with you."

"Thank you, Izu-chan. You tolerated me even when I'm at my worst. Instead of becoming a hero, I've became a damsel in distress." She tried to laugh out that matter, but she can't because it's true. She hasn't been doing well recently, and she wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible.

"You're wrong." Izuku blatantly corrected her mere delusion, "You've fought hard already and you're continuously fighting against your current situation. You know what, you're too strong. If I were in that situation, I'll be too depressed to move and will completely shut everyone off, but you didn't. That's why, I salute your courage for not giving up."

"You always see the best out of me. You tried to cheer me up even if I'm trying to push you away…" She sobbed and tears flooded like the waters rushing down from a waterfall, "I'm sorry."

"W-Why are you apologizing, Chi-chan? Don't cry." He tried to wipe off the tears from her cheeks, smiling at her, "You're one of the reasons why I strive to become a hero. Of course, I will really treasure you because like you, you've seen the best out of me. Thank you."

He continued, "Chi-chan, Kacchan is doing his best. Today, he got reckless for a bit but I think Kirishima-kun talked to him about it. And, I know he is too confuse about everything. I think the one who really treasures you the most, is none other than him. So, whatever he told you about leaving you, he won't."

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Katsuki and his bandaged arm with patches within his features.

"Let's trade, Deku." He talked, "Aizawa-sensei is alright. The operation was successful, you can now go home, I'll fucking talk with her."

Izuku immediately complied, after all, it's already too dark for him to stay outside. Plus he knew that the two of them must catch up and fix things again. He can only hope that Katsuki has been struck by the nail already and will never let go of her.

After he left, Katsuki sat down in the chair beside her. Meanwhile, Chiharu, whose tears are still flowing down nonstop is utterly confused by the turn of events. The ash-blond could only look upon the mess he made up base on the way her features lit up.

He knows that the next few words that he'll utter will really damage his pride and his character. However, from this situation, who even cares about pride and character anymore? He destroyed her because of his inner demons and he has to make things right.

"Sorry."

"Hu—"

"Don't talk. I'm not fucking done yet."

He continues, "I've been insensitive. Even though I told you I won't leave you, I left without consenting you about it. I've done things that hurt you real bad. I am a fucking asshole, bastard or anything that you can think of me. You can give up on me. Forget me. Everything, I deserve it because I don't deserve you at all. I wanted to ask you for many times, why are you always sticking up with me even if I treated you like this?"

She hiccups, slowly trying to calm herself down for a response, "Because why not, right? You deserve everything and I think that's beautiful."

 _That's right. Katsuki embodies the word 'victory' in all situations. He lights up, strives for it and claims it with greatness…_

Katsuki could only sigh deeply. What did he even do to deserve her? No one is in their right mind to stay despite all these things. And here they are, he has her at all times. Truly, she deserves the world.

"Fuck. Shit. Bullshit!" He gripped onto his ash locks and gaze at her interstellar eyes, "Haru, beat the crap out of me."

"H-Huh?"

"I'm fucking serious."

"Then…" She told him, "Close your eyes." Katsuki obliged. Slowly, inexorably, she reaches for his cheeks and began to lower her face to him, touching their foreheads together.

"Open your eyes…"

When he opens his eyes, he's greeted by the majestic purples flashing before him just a few inches away from him. He could feel his cheeks burn, as he tried to look at his lap, afraid if he stares any longer, he'll ruin her beauty. He couldn't find his voice. He felt his cheeks flushed hot, and his stomach was heavy. His heart pounded in his throat, threatening to break out.

"Fuck."

"Katsuki…Look at me…"

When he looked at her, it was as if every ounce of breath was taken from his lungs floating into the air like midnight smoke. Holding his face between her delicate hands, it felt like she was untying all of his knots. Holding him for eternity in the arms he has grown so accustomed to.

It wasn't the color of her eyes that were so breathtaking, as it was what was inside them. Smeared tears stains and heavy eyelids. And bright. Oh, how bright they were, shining with the tears that had yet to fall in trickling lines, streaking through the caked dirt on her face. It's magnificent. It's beautiful. And he found himself falling deeply every time he gazes at her.

Her smile shone like stars after dark, with no city lights to dim them. For in that moment time stopped to stare and admire her. Despite everything she's been going through, she still persisted to smile and be the one thing that brightened up even the saddest of days, "All I want is you to be with me just like the old times… together with Izu-chan… That's all. I don't ask for anything at all. I want the same old Katsuki… However, when you told me that you'll leave me again… I… don't know…I'm so hurt… Is it because of me? Everyone left me… So, please, Katsuki… don't ever tell me that again."

"I won't. This is the truth. T-That's why…" He hurriedly grabs her shoulders and pushed her back to her bed, trying to hide the rapid beating of his heart and flustered cheeks, "Y-You have to fucking rest, dumbass."

"Yes… Well, I'm tired. Katsuki, can you stay a bit longer?"

"I will fucking stay, stupid. Aizawa-sensei is knocked out."

"I see… Thank you…" Her eyes settled on it for a moment. Beautiful. Fragile. And off she went to her dreamland.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 _Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock_

Hours have passed since Chiharu has fallen asleep but as for the ash-blond he can't at all. He doesn't know why but just staring at her round features and twisting his fingers to her beautiful hair locks can give out a pounding fee—wait, what?

Realizing what he has done, he jumped into his seat and slapped his face again for the umpteenth time. Luckily, Recovery Girl healed him or else he'll be screaming in pain right now.

Fuck…

What the hell is he thinking?

His face became the color of a bad sunburn and under that flaming orange hair it had the effect of making his head look like it was on fire. Gradually, he returned to his seat and finds himself completely mesmerized and hypnotized by her. He traces her lip lightly with the tip of his finger. It pouts slightly, and he has an urge to bite it, to kiss it, to wrap us up in a quilt and listen to their gentle breathing, watching the cotton ripple like skipping stones and sharing crooked smiles. He doesn't know why he has this tranquility in his heart whenever he's with her. He couldn't imagine any other girl who dares to take a step in his world. He doesn't deserve her, and he knows that very much. But, why is she making him think that he really deserves her in spite of everything he did?

 _Haru never left me. Even I am so stubborn of what I wanted in my life, the one who's always there is her. She is precious and I can't afford to lose her. The one who accepted me is her._

"Haru… is someone I can't let go off…"

Suddenly, he remembers that a certain plain head just confessed to her making her fly out of the moon. It really pisses him off that someone made her blush or smile to anyone other than him.

"Don't… go out with him, Haru… Don't date that weird hair… Don't smile to that, idiot… Don't fall in love with him…"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 _I wanted to ask myself so many times. What if this whole ordeal didn't happen? What if I can go to UA with you? What if you and I are always together? What if I don't have to visit you in the hospital and get nervous whenever something happens to you? What if everything turned back to the way it was? Are we going to have a normal life from now on?_

 _I really thought that you'll die… that moment…_

 _"Hey… Haru…"_

 _It's been bugging me all the time…_

 ** _"Do I… like you…?"_**

 ** _No! No! NO!_**

Katsuki realized what he just tried to ask. Luckily for him, the girl is in deep slumber. As quickly as possible, he began to numerously slap his face to make himself awake from this situation. He doesn't need love! That's right! Chiharu can go out to other men as much as she likes. She's just her fucking friend and her fucking…. Queen?

Why did he even declare her as a queen anyway? Because they're close friends? Because they're childhood friends?

Why is she his queen?

What is Chiharu to him, anyway? Is she just a friend... or...?

He can't like her! Because love doesn't have any room to someone who is aiming to become a hero…

Love is a distraction.

She is his queen because he felt the desire to protect her…. That's just it, right?

But, for Chiharu, why did she agree for him to become her king? Because she needs to protect him also?

NO!

He doesn't have any feelings, right? RIGHT.

Yes, he can't like her… After all…

 **The one for her was never me.**

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello! I know I suck at updates and I really find it hard to write some scenes here because I really tend to run out of ideas. And yep, I missed again three weeks doing nothing... or Idk... anyway, I just graduated from Senior High School... (hoOray)) and I'm about to start my college life in an art school (cheer me up plz)

So much for my updates about my life, anyway, I know things are getting OOC but... i really don't know how will these things turn up to especially Katsuki's feelings because I know he is certainly bad at feelings. USJ arc seems to be rushed because I'm getting too bored writing that LOL Sports Fest will be awesome btw considering the events that I've planned on hand.

Thank you for always supporting me! I would love to see your thoughts~


	33. Chapter 33: Aizawa Shota's Day Off

Chapter 33: Aizawa Shota's Day Off

* * *

"I'm getting discharge?"

"Yes, Aragaki-san! Today, it is." The doctor eagerly smiled at her, while checking up her condition with a stethoscope. As the curly petrol blue haired breathe slowly, she began to return a simple question to her nurse, "Umm. If I'm getting discharge that means that Sho-chan is… alright already? But, it's been just weeks!"

"I'm not that weak to be hospitalized for such a long time, Chiharu." Suddenly, Shota emerges in the entrance of her room out of nowhere, and no matter how hard she looks at him, she couldn't convince herself that her guardian is really fine.

"You're not fine at all!" She retorted. Covered by bandages from his head up to his arms, anybody can discern that he is, in fact, a

"I'm getting discharge?"

"Yes, Aragaki-san! Today, it is." The doctor eagerly smiled at her, while checking up her condition with a stethoscope. As the curly petrol blue haired breathe slowly, she began to return a simple question to her nurse, "Umm. If I'm getting discharge that means that Sho-chan is… alright already? But, it's been just weeks!"

"I'm not that weak to be hospitalized for such a long time, Chiharu." Suddenly, Shota emerges in the entrance of her room out of nowhere, and no matter how hard she looks at him, she couldn't convince herself that her guardian is really fine.

"You're not fine at all!" She retorted. Covered by bandages from his head up to his arms, anybody can discern that he is, in fact, a mummy.

"It's totally fine, Chiharu."

"No, it's not!"

He sighed, "Anyway, aren't you glad that you'll get discharge? You've been here for a year already so might as well get you out of this place."

"I see…" She replied, her features softening from recalling all the hardships she has encountered, "It's been a year since that time…"

 _It's been a year since mom disappeared…_

 _And also… today is…_

"Today's Ryuuji's Death Anniversary…" He continued, "Taira will beat me up if I didn't even visit your Dad's grave with you."

"Yes, that's right."

"Well then, let's get moving. We'll grab some clothes then straight into the supermarket."

* * *

 ** _Do I like Haru?_**

Those words continued to wrap Katsuki's mind the past few weeks. Ever since he stayed the night in the hospital as he watches over her, things started to change; he began to notice every single details she does. Like, tucking some strands of her hair from the back of her ear, the way her eyelashes flutters towards him and her smile—goodness gracious—it's too tantalizing. Yet, every time he thinks of those things, he wanted to barf so bad.

HE. DOESN'T. LIKE. HARU. AT. ALL.

She's just a close friend that he needs to protect because she's the only one who sees through him. She is his queen because that's just it, right? He just spouted nonsense when he's a child and up until now they're playing house of the royal kingdom; being a queen and king.

"Kacchan, Chi-chan just texted me. She told me that she's getting discharge." Izuku cheered, abruptly telling the ash-blond about the good news.

"Shut the fuck up or I'll kill you, Deku!" He retorted, and began checking his phone if he received the same text message. Well, Izuku is in luck that he received one as well, if he doesn't he'll be blasting that good-for-nothing to the roof for being the only one having receiving that puny text message. Tapping the message in the screen, he saw a message from her that says, "I'm officially discharged!" then from that there's a photo below it that displays a giggly Chiharu with a fucking normal clothes and not her hospital gown.

Katsuki froze, eyes wide as saucers as he gaped at Chiharu's picture. Again, he found the flames of his wrath dissipating and had no idea how this one, miniature, mouse-like girl was doing it. His insides felt warm, but it was definitely not from his ire and to make matters worse, the twisting feeling had spread from his chest to his stomach now. He stood from his chair, making his classmates surprised by the sudden clatter of his chair.

Izuku tilted his head in wonder at the teen's sudden silence. "K-Kacchan?"

"Why the fucking hell are you still here? Scram, piece of shit!" Grabbing a bottled water from his bag, he chugged down the whole bottle of water and exhaled heavily, attempting to psych the mysterious sickness out of his system. "What the hell is this?" he muttered to himself and held his chest. To his relief, the strange sensations had just as quickly quieted.

"Hey, Bakugou! Are you alright?" Eijirou asked.

"Why are you people fucking squirming here!? I said fucking leave me alone!" Katsuki shouted, seating back to his chair with a loud harrumph. Out of nowhere, he punched his table, which created a loud noise that made the whole class silent.

 _"I-Is he alright?"_

 _"What is his problem?"_

"Hey, Bakugou!" EIjirou called out again, this time, seating in front of him and asked, "What's wrong with you? You've been spacing out ever since the USJ incident."

"Shut the fuck up, weird hair! You don't know anything!"

Eijirou spotted the explosive teen's cellphone in his grasps, and tries to sneak a peek on it; realizing that there's a picture of Chiharu smiling in a normal get-up. His eyes traveled towards the seething ash-blond, who's been yelling for nonsense. Well, he may not look like it, but Eijirou isn't an airhead to not notice these things at all. Trying his best not to smile from ear to ear, he could no longer suppress the smile that crept on his lips, rubbing his chin as he chuckled knowingly to himself. "Oh, man!" he exclaimed.

 _This guy is really head-over-heels towards her!_

Meanwhile, Katsuki's having his battle again. There the sensations were again- twisting, tingling, burning... Yeah, it was definitely time to check in with someone about this.

* * *

"Sho-chan! I didn't know you have a sense of fashion despite looking like that." Chiharu chided, looking upon the yellow dress Shota picked for her through the glass windows of every shop they passed by. With a giggly smile plastered within her, she surely misses the fresh air and the busy streets outside the hospital. Finally, she's set her foot outside the shackles of her hospital and she can't wait to do fun things now that she's here.

Shota's eyes squinted, retorting, "What the hell did you mean?"

"O-Oh no-nothing!"

He sighed deeply, pausing for a bit and kneeled in front of Chiharu to fix her messy wavy hair, "For now, I'll allow you to spout nonsense since you deserve to be spoiled enough. After all you've gone through, you deserve everything—the best. Come on, let's go."

As Shota began pushes her wheelchair and head towards the cemetery, somehow, his words kind off made a home to her. Does she even deserve these things? Without noticing a slight frown was formed into her lips, and when she realizes that emotions reels her again, she tried to knock it off and proceeds with that smile—that fake smile again.

How long will she continue living like this?

That everything is alright…

* * *

Gravestones lined the eerie graveyard. Some recently placed, whereas others, cracked and crumbling. Mold covered the engravings dedicated to the dead, trees leaning towards the stones, branches reaching out to each other. Spiked, black fences surrounded the graveyard almost like it was a prison. The smell of old stone filled the dry air, weeds covering the graves of the dead, loved ones long since stopped visiting.

Reaching upon Ryuuji's grave, they both stopped in front of it as Shota began to crouch down to have a clear view of it. Surprisingly, the gravestone in front of them is very much clean unlike the other stones. He deduced that 'someone' is actually visiting Ryuuji once in a while, keeping this grave clean. As for Chiharu, she could only stare at her father's grave with curled fists. Biting her lips, she tried to hide her legs from keeping it seen with her dress.

Truth to be told, she wanted to visit her father but not like this. She's an utter mess. She's injured. She doesn't even know whether she'll be a hero like she promised her father—that she'll be a hero in his place. However, in her current state, she felt how a big loser she is. She can't even protect her mother from that big monster.

Exhaling deeply from her lips, she tried to stop the tears that are currently threatening to flow right now. She won't cry. She won't. She's done being a weakling. She's done being a damn damsel in distress all these time. She have to be strong—she's trying—but just a little glimpse into her father's grave makes her remember that awful nightmare… _and that time at the hospital…_

Just remembering that gives her chills down to her spine.

Amidst the stillness of the silence among them, Shota will use this opportunity to confront her because things are getting out of hand. Chiharu might be seen as this sunshine girl, but as Ryuuji told him, she's been like this. She'll lie to herself, to other people, and carry the weight alone. And he will be damned if he won't be able to pull out everything that she's been carrying all these time. As her guardian, as the person whom Ryuuji and Taira trusted onto, he will definitely… save their daughter.

Shota started, "Listen, Chiharu. Your Dad only wants the best in you. He just wanted you to be a normal girl just like everyone: going to school, meet some new friends, having fun with them or heck even fall in love like those sappy Shoujo manga. So, you don't have to build walls in your heart just to pretend that you're strong enough to handle all the pain."

There's a long pause between them when he added, "What are you feeling these past few days?"

She muttered dryly, "No… I'm fine."

"Chiharu." He sternly pressed down.

"There's nothing really…"

"Chiharu!" This time, Shota raised his voice much to her surprise, "How can I raise you if you keep on living like that? Tell me everything. From now on, we're going to live on the same roof, and I wanted to be a capable parent like them to raise you. That's why, speak it already! I know you've been hiding it every day. You're not even telling it to Bakugou or Midoriya. Chiharu, spit it out!"

 **"Nothing!"** This time her reply turned into something brash and spiteful, then she continued with darkness in her words, "Even if I tell you, Sho-chan, can you change it— _the future?_ " This made him lose his words for a while as he sees her struggling in containing her own emotions: Hate, spite, envy, hopelessness and insecurity

She hated her situation.

She spited everything.

She's envious of the people around her.

She feels hopeless because of her condition.

She's insecure about the people around her.

She replied, with utter coldness breezing out to her every word. It was as if it's not her… it's like someone else… someone possessed her to have these kind of emotions, "Of course **, you can't! You can't! You can't! You can't!** No matter what I do Mom and Dad isn't coming back! They will… never… **"**

She looks at him like the fire in her eyes has been dowsed with ice water, if anything it makes the blue more pale. He's not used to it, it unnerves him. He wants her to give freely like she always does but she won't. She moves her eyes more slowly, like they're heavy, an effort to move. Her desperateness keeps Shota wondering to his self… Is this even Chiharu?

After breaking out from her character, she continued, "I've been following Eraserhead's footsteps for the longest time. I tried to become a hero just like him. I practiced harder and harder, and tried to go to the same school as him. Within his footsteps, I saw how you become part of his life. I wanted to be able to help people with a smile on their faces even if it's impossible for them to do so. I will save lots of people… For dad… for me…. That's what I told myself"

A smile grazes her lips, recalling every single detail that stirs up her emotion which made her voice crack bit by bit, "I just wanted a normal life… With the three of us laughing our guts out together, having dinner together, mom scolding me for being late then dad will smile and encourage me to take the exams without anxiousness. I just wanted a family who will greet me that I am home whenever I'm tired, prepare food for me, someone who will cheer me up whenever I have problems, someone who will hug me…Then, I'll have friends—more friends—than ever, walking with Izu-chan and Katsuki together, study with them, laugh like a normal person, get failing grades and then together go to the school we had dream of—UA. Then, we will be able to practice our quirks, Katsuki will get mad at Izu-chan then Izu-chan will try his best to improve himself more then I'll just laugh at their silliness…. I just wanted to be a normal student… a normal child… who has a big dream… a normal family… that's all…"

Her voice lowered, almost like a whisper. Clawing her head vigorously, as she tries to contain the anger within her, "Why is the world taking everything, everyone, from me?! Am I a bad a person? Did I do something wrong?!"

"There's no way you're a bad person…" Shota answered back.

When she turned at last to face him there was no trace of tears, not in her eyes or in track marks on her reddening face. Her eyes were narrowed, rigid, cold, hard. She shouted immediately upon his answer, "Then… **why**?! I did everything right - everything-and still this place is a goddamn mess!"

She exclaimed, releasing her anger once and for all, "I've been really envious of Katsuki, Eiji, Izu-chan, Ochako-chan and Iida-san… Even though, I cheered at them to aim for the best, to become a hero and fulfill our promises… In the end, I wasn't able to fulfill ours… I know I shouldn't be jealous of their achievements but I can't help! I should be also wearing their uniforms as well… I should be with them. I should be in UA! I should also become a hero! Just because of that one night… just because a villain attacked us… I woke up having the news that Katsuki began to be like this and that! Mom is missing! My house is a wreck! My lower body is paralyzed! Then, my doctor telling me to quit my dream to become a hero! I don't know what to do! I don't have the time to be sad because everyone is relying on me! _Smile. Smile. Smile._ I should always be the so-called sunshine girl! I should save them! I should not feel any remorse, anger or sadness! I don't have the time to be saved and ask them to save me because they are broken as well! I don't have the time to mourn for my mother! I don't have the time to be sad because everyone will feel sad! I always save people… yet… I can't even save myself!"

 ** _SAVE ME!_**

 ** _SAVE ME!_**

 ** _SAVE ME!_**

Her face mottled crimson, her eyes popped, and her tree trunk neck strained. Her words were spat out with the ferocity and rapidity of machine gun fire. Words flew from her mouth that she never thought she'd even think, let alone say out loud. The pain was like a knife being twisted in her spine. It shots up fast, erasing every thought from her head and paralyzing her body, screaming "I lost mom! I lost Dad! I lost my legs…! Katsuki keeps on leaving me…! I lost the hope of becoming a hero… I lost my will to live… I lost everything! Everyone left! **EVERYTHING! EVERYONE! WHAT THE HELL IS MY REASON FOR LIVING!?** " She bits her tongue, trying to hold the tears that threatened to leave her eyes. But can't. Her eyes drip with tears. The beads of water started falling down one after another, without a sign of stopping. This is something she haven't told Katsuki nor Izuku.

She was broken now, shattered really, robbed early of the tape and glue necessary to put her soul back together. Her heart, poorly stapled shut, was beating hard but without purpose, her skin stretched across her aching muscles like a worn canvas. Her mind was like a lost man at sea, desperate and starving for some reason to live. Desperate for a memory, good, warm, welcoming, one she could smile to.

She sobbed into her hands and the tears dripped between her fingers, raining down onto the parched soil. Her breathing was ragged, and gasping, "Everyone thought that I'm strong enough to handle the pain but they're wrong… I'm tired..." She hiccups, her voice cracking, "I lost count to the times that I wanted to die! I don't want to live anymore! I want to be with them! I'm fed up with this world! Day by day, I open my eyes, I tried to ask why am I still alive!? Why!? But I can't, because Katsuki and Izu-chan needs me! I struggle even if I… gave up long time ago."

She pleads, "Take these emotions away from me… Please!" She cried until there was nothing left inside but a raw emptiness that nibbles at her insides, " **I JUST WANT A FUCKING NORMAL LIFE!** "

It was hysterical crying.

Shota could only swallow real hard. He didn't expect her to break down this much. Seeing her crying and shouting to have a normal life seems to make him determine to do one thing. He walked up to her slowly, crouching in front of her as he tries to wipe every tear that slips down her red puffy eyes, "It's amazing that you've been this strong for how many times. But you know, it's alright to be weak. Hell, it's alright to cry. Remember this, even if you can't walk, even if you are like this, you can still save people! A hero isn't about being the best in everything they have their own setbacks. A hero struggles as if there's no tomorrow. Yes, everything seemed to be hopeless but I will make it possible. You're not your own anymore. I am here. Midoriya, Bakugou, Kirishima and everybody else. I will be flooding you with lots of people by your side. That's why, don't worry, if you need help, I'm here. I am your guardian… I will never leave you."

He added that made her surprise, "Chiharu, **YOU** can be a hero."

"It's impossible…"

"No, it's not… I swear… I will make you one… I will turn the impossible to possible. Trust me." He declared, with his eyes looking through her crushed soul. Suddenly, he began to ask her, "Chiharu, were you lonely?

To which she answered honestly, "Yes…"

"Was it fun to go around outside the hospital with me?"

"Yes…"

"I see…" Shota bit his lip in frustration and taps her shoulder, "Chiharu, would it be alright if I stayed with you? I've been a 'nobody' to you in your whole life… I've done nothing to help you in your struggle in life but I'll do my best from now on. So, would it be alright to stay with you?"

"Yes…"

"I see…"

"Sho-chan, you see… Is it alright… Is it alright to not hold back anymore, right?"

"Yes."

At that moment, her walls that she's been building up for her whole life suddenly crash and tumbled down. Shota pulled her to a warm embrace that no one can ask for. Out of complete silence the cry arose. Out of complete reverence the things of the world stilled to listen. Like a budding flower it started. Slow and gentle but it rose to a wail that tore at his heart; tens of thousands of voices crying out together in total sorrow. To the ends of the world the cry traveled.

 _Taira…_

 _Ryuuji…_

 _I swear to protect Chiharu with all my might. This time, I won't fail…_

* * *

After having Chiharu calm down from her sudden breakdown a while ago, Shota eventually treated her into an extravagant restaurant to lessen the awkward atmosphere between them. Having their orders at peace, she began to chug every single meal she sets her eyes. In the midst of their dinner, the petrol-blue hair decided to break the ice by asking a question that will make Shota caught off guard.

"Sho-chan, do you like mom?" Chiharu absentmindedly asked. Suddenly, she hears a clutter, and she looks over to see Shota drop his fork, thus making the whole atmosphere cold.

"I…" It's a long paused between them. Abruptly, he's brought back to his memory lane with the three of them; smiling together especially Taira. He knows deep inside him that he should stop. Of course, they just visited her dad's grave, he should be respecting the dead. Even if Taira's body isn't found yet by the authorities, as her guardian he should stop and man up to his actions. Sighing to his current situation, he deadpanned, "I don't. Eat your food it's getting cold already."

"Eh, so you really like her that much?" She hums, grinning to her own victory as Shota spits out his water from her sudden remark.

"Are you dumb? I told you I don't—"

"Don't play games with me. I saw it with my two eyes!" Pointing her index finger to her guardian, she began to explain her claim. Surely, she will make her hypothesis true. "A while ago, you dropped your wallet and I happen to pick it up, right? You… You have mom's ring in there. Don't lie to me! That's mom when she's in her High School! Just because Aragaki Ryuuji is my dad that doesn't mean that you have to lie like that!" A condensing smirk escaped her lips which made his eyes roll in reply, "The cat's out of the bag, Aizawa Shota-kun…"

Shota didn't reply which made her fuming. Pouting her cheeks as she's disappointed with his answer, she tried to persuade him by hitting the correct nail for an answer, "We're going to live on the same roof from now on. You should also be honest with your feelings! I told mine, right?"

The sight that escaped Shota's dry lips was slow, as if his brain needed that time to process what had happened, and finally replying, "I **liked** her. And even if we do end up, you won't be born, idiot. Plus, I just happen to pick the ring at the scene. So stop this sappy romance and finish your food."

"No." She disregarded his answer with cuddly smile, "You do **_love_** mom, right? Up until now."

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 _I know by that time that when I chose the path of becoming a hero,_ _It will be bloody as hell and I won't know whether I'll live or not… I don't have time for this sappy romance._ _ **Love is just a distraction.**_ _However, every time I see the sparkle in Taira's features whenever she talks about something she loves to do, just then, I realized that I really do love her._

 _But being a hero will not guarantee that I will bring happiness to her and I might just end up hurt her. I don't want to make her cry if that happens. So, I became an asshole to her, to make her stop from chasing me but she's just like a bug….pestering me as always…_

 _However, I did the greatest sin to her. I left her without any word. I run away from my feelings. I'm such an asshole. In the end, I made her cry… In the end, I hurt her. That's why, I don't deserve her love._

 _After all being a bastard to her, even if I left her alone, trampling all her feelings, I'm the worst yet she still welcomed me with that smile… How can she be so perfect? But before I realize that it's too late already._

 _I don't deserve her._

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Stars filled the sky like pale corn into freshly turned ground. It was the promise of life in the darkness, a sense of warmth springing from the cold. It was a vastness to bring humbleness and an eternal space to bring gratitude for the coziness of home. A few hours has passed since Chiharu confronted him about his feelings with Taira but he didn't honestly told her the truth. And now, she's passed out asleep on her futon and Shota couldn't sleep at all.

Staring upon the sky, he pulled out the ring that he found during the incident and placed it to his desk. Opening his cabinet, he stares down to the shining silver ring lying above a certain book. He hastily picked it up and positioned it upon the illuminating light of the moon as he stares at it meekly.

"If I wasn't a coward then what will happen…?" He whispered, examining the ring in his fingers. Sighing into complete defeat, he brings it back to its original place and shut the cabinet close. Scratching the back of his head numerously, he could feel himself getting silly about this so-called love.

"Damn," He whispered, "Ahhhh, I really love her after all this time."

 _If ever there's one thing I wanted to do and that is to never run away from my feelings._

* * *

Author's Note:

And now I am tempted to write a side fanfic to what really happened between Ryuuji, Taira and Shota's love story. Anyway, I just want a cool-off chappie because the next few chapters will be the sports festival arc~ I swear things will get heated in this arc! I'm so excited to bring it to you guys! Thank you for the comments!


	34. Chapter 34: Meeting Class 1-A

Chapter 34: Meeting Class 1-A

* * *

"Meow… Meow…"

The cat purred, slowly rubbing its furry head to the sleeping being in the soft sheets of her futon. As it continued to tell its owner to wake up, Chiharu finds herself slowly lifting her eyelids as she burrows herself into the warm, soft sheets. Awaking from her deep slumber and the morning light trickled in through the blinds. She tried her best to compose herself to look upon the being who tried to wake her up, only to find out that its 'Tai' which makes her smirk on the idea because of Shota's affection to Taira to the point of naming his cat 'Tai'—as if she won't know, she's not a freaking kid! A smile spreads out to her lips as she pats the head of the furry little fellow beside her, "Ah, Tai-chan, Good Morning…"

Upon greeting the cat, she began her morning routine with her new house. Fortunately, Chiharu is able to climb to her wheelchair with ease because of her continuous physical therapy. As she spins the wheelchair towards the kitchen to make up some breakfast for herself, something caught her attention. There's a neatly wrapped lunchbox to the table that is completely untouched at all. Assuming that it's her guardian's lunchbox, she sighed exasperatedly.

"Ahhhh, Sho-chan forgot his lunchbox." Chiharu mumbled. Well, she's worried that Shota won't take the needed nutrients on his skinny body and speaking of him, if he ever finds out that he forgot his lunch maybe he'll settle down with another chubert or instant noodles which is definitely a no-no, so an idea comes up to her mind.

"That reminds me… Sho-chan teaches at UA… so…" A wild smile appeared to her face, as she browses her cellular phone for the map and the moment she knew the right way towards the school she decided to do something…

"W-Well, I'm delivering his lunch so…" She muttered, imagining the people she'll meet in UA plus having a tour to her dream school itself, "I-I think that's not a bad thing!"

* * *

"A mild case of constipation."

Katsuki's eyelids fluttered in confusion. "What?"

Recovery Girl spun in her chair and pointed a pencil at him. "You have a mild case of constipation, Mr. Bakugou," she spelled out for him, "Need I elucidate?"

"I tell you I have chronic chest and stomach pains along with breathing difficulties and you just tell me...I have **shitting issues**?" Katsuki tore the curtain from its hangers and hopped off the infirmary bed. Of course, he is fucking mad. He's having trouble when it comes to his chest whenever he thinks of Chiharu. It felt like every time he tries to talk to her via mail, there will be some shitty butterflies escaping his stomach. "Don't kid around with me! I need medicine or somethi—!" The next thing he knew, a lollipop was shoved into his mouth, effectively shushing his impending flurry of rants.

"I can see from your records that you are extremely fond of spicy food," the elderly medic pointed out, "All that spice can really mess with your digestive system if not eaten in moderation. Stress can also contribute to your dilemma so try not to lose your temper so much and just take it easy once in a while."

"I never lose my temper!" Katsuki roared, nostrils flaring. "I'm perfectly calm and calculative!"

"Yes, yes, off you go now," Recovery Girl mused, handing the boy a signed note and additional lollipop for the road. "Your next class will start soon. You wouldn't want to be late."

"...Argh!" Katsuki grudgingly took both items and stomped out of the school infirmary only to collide violently with another figure that was standing right by the door. Both fell to the floor, groaning in pain at the impact.

"Ouch!"

Katsuki recognized that girlish squeak anywhere. "Deku, you shithead!"

Both teens gathered themselves and stood up with Katsuki looming precariously over a trembling Midoriya. "Ka-Kac-Kacchan!" the One for All user cheeped anxiously, "Sorry! I didn't realize you were here! I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, it-'s just I-I, that is, um...!"

"Bakugo retorted, "Stay out of my way or I'll kill you."

Izuku flinched as Katsuki strode by him, only calming down again when he was given the familiar cold shoulder. 'Thank goodness,' he nearly said aloud. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a scuffle with Bakugo and end up accidentally breaking something right before their midterm. Although, he's been really curious about the ash-blond's behavior recently. He's really snapping and constantly cursing at small things, although, they're used to that but his behavior has been more vigorous lately.

Meanwhile, Katsuki stomps at the corridor with massive angry aura enveloping him. He is distraught. He hasn't been replying to her mails because whenever he even tried to speak to her, somehow this fucking 'constipation' is hitting him like a mad man. For now, the last person he doesn't want to see is the root of his problems—Aragaki Chiharu.

* * *

"Uwah!" She applauds, gazing onto the gigantic premise of UA itself. It's her first time seeing the heavenly gates of her dream school and of course, it made her jaw dropped on how cool it looks on the outside. Tightening her grip towards the lunchbox, she now questions herself on how she'll get inside of the school. Of course, the security will be spot on considering that she's not a student nevertheless a certain nobody who just delivers their lunchbox. Well, she doesn't want to set the alarms because of her presence.

"As expected, I'm nervous… What should I do? How can I go inside? I wanted to surprise Sho-chan but this is far how I go, huh?" She wanted to go inside. She wanted to surprise Shota especially Izuku, Eijirou and Katsuki. Suddenly, some thoughts appeared on the back of her head, which is whispering to her again and again –that person inside her—to use that quirk; the time stopping quirk.

 _"Just like that time when you use that quirk…. Use it! Use it!"_ The voice states continuously, rumbling and wrecking the insides of her brain. Mortifying laughs and screams encircled within her thoughts, gripping her own insanity. **_Stop! Stop! Stop!_** She pleads continuously, biting her lips harshly. Running her fingers to her soft silky petrol blue hair as she heaves deep exasperatedly breathes out of her lips, she desperately needs oxygen to breathe into. She strained her vocals but nothing came out, still she screamed, hoping someone would hear her. With every second she practically felt the rise of her blood pressure, but she knew that this was the least of her worries.

Abruptly, someone taps her shoulder causing her to flee from the delusion she is currently in. Snapping towards the 'savior' who brought her in her senses, she happens to encounter a certain tall, slender man with long blond hair, which he wears spiked upwards in a huge tuft behind his head, and a small mustache.

"Hey, is something wrong, little girl?" He asked with rather energetic tone.

"A-Ah, um! Do you know Aizawa Shouta? He's my guardian."

"Oh! Eraserhead's kid!? I've heard of you, you're Aragaki Chiharu, right!?"

"Y-Yes, um… I am about to deliver his lunch…" She brings out the packed lunch to him, which he carefully look upon, then he replied, "Well, wanna go inside?"

"Y-Yes!"

* * *

Class 1-A is filled with chatters all around the room as they speculate whether someone will do their homeroom in place of Shouta or not. Well, they suspect that another teacher will be able to handle their homeroom considering the amount of injuries he had during the USJ incident. As much as they're dilly-daily with their homeroom, abruptly, the door went 'bang', revealing the so-called person they've been talking about except that he's filled with bandages; almost like a mummy.

"Morning." He greeted.

The whole class' jaw went wide, retorting, "Aizawa-sensei, you're back too soon!"

"Sensei, are you alright?" Tenya immediately asked with his hands chopping into the thin air.

Shota replied as he walked towards the podium to tell them some announcements,"My well-being doesn't matter. More importantly, the fight isn't over yet.,."

"Fight?!"

Everyone seemed to be nervous again with what he stated. But no, they're wrong on their guesses when Shota introduced the much awaited event of all the students, "The UA Sports Festival is getting near." His sudden announcement draws the whole class 1-A's energy to their maximum level. Several cheers and claps where heard within the room except that they all stopped when they recalled the latest villain attack which Shota knew that they need an explanation for such event.

"Our sports festival is one of Japan's biggest events. Of course, joining an agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. If you expect to become a pro, then the path to your future will open up to this event. No aspiring hero can afford to miss—

Suddenly, Shota's explanation is interrupted for a moment when someone knocked in the door which made all of their attention fly towards the door. The door swiftly opens revealing a familiar girl which made everyone surprised, "Excuse me… Is Aizawa Shota—" Petrol blue strands cascaded down her back like molten onyx. Around her face it was cut a little shorter, feathered to accentuate her perfect round features. Once she saw the man that she's been looking for, her eyes gleamed in beauty and shots a smile that could lighten up everyone's morning and everyone is immediately smitten.

"Ah, Sho-chan!" Chiharu called with a large grin on her face. Then…

"AH!"

"AH!"

"C-Ch-Chi-chan!?"

"Haru!?"

"W-Wah! Chiharu-chan!"

" ** _A GODDESS?!"_** Both Minori and Denki screamed.

Everyone's mouth went ajar, eyes completely wide upon the sudden appearance of Chiharu especially Katsuki. Heck, he's been avoiding to see Chiharu for like days and right now, he saw the least person he wanted to interact with. Meanwhile, as people are completely surprised by her, Shouto wasn't an exemption. As Shouta gestured Chiharu to come in with a wheelchair, Shouto's breath has been stolen in a snap. It takes a second or two for the new information to sink it, even though it is right before his eyes, larger than life. Then he feels his lips stretch wider into gaping grin and his eyebrows arch for the sky. She's here.

"Target locked on!" Minoru smirked in silence, staring upon her three sizes. The whole class is gaping into the new girl when Minoru just remembered something that tick his curiousness, ""Anyway, who is Sho-chan!?"

"Sho-chan, you forgot your lunchbox!" Chiharu chided, handling over the forgotten lunchbox to her father figure.

"Don't just barge in into my class, Chiharu! First of all, how do you even get here? You're not allowed to go outside with me permission." He hissed with venom, as Chiharu just brushed his warning off. However, the way she called her guardian 'Sho-chan' now caught all of the class off-guard.

"S-S-S-S-S-Sho-chan!?" Denki screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Who is she!?"

"Sensei's girlfriend!?"

"Sensei's a lolicon?!"

" **SHUT. UP.** " Shota activated his quirk in an instant which made all of them to shut their mouths. All these speculations are getting out of hand and the last thing he wanted is gossips on his stand. "You'll have a handful later get it?" He whispered, rolling his eyes to her presence as he continued, "Since you're 'disrupting' my class, why don't you introduce yourself to stop all these speculations…"

She puffed her cheeks as a response to her guardian then deliberately introducing herself, "I am Aragaki Chiharu! Sho-chan is err… my some sort of guardian…?"

"Is she your child!?" Mina started, her eyes gleaming in another girl's gossips 101. To which, Tooru added oil to the fire, giggling, "Uwah! Sensei is married!"

"N-No, he's not married!" Chiharu denied, waving her hands repeatedly, "He's just taking care of me in place of my parents, that's all!" Then, her eyes sets into the familiar figures on the classroom,

"Ah! Eiji, Izu-chan, Ochako-chan, Iida-san and Katsuki! You're here so this is your class, huh?"

"Never mind that," Clattering his chair because of his unexpected anger, he pointed his index finger to her and began shouting, "what the hell are you doing here, Haru!?" The word 'Haru' echoed all throughout the room, resulting to another rumblings and speculations from the class.

"W-Wah, Bakugou called her Haru!? What's this!?"

Chiharu tried to calm him down, "Katsuki, calm down."

Upon rolling the word Katsuki out of her tongue, the whole class' attention swiftly returned to Chiharu who just called the exploding teen in his first name, "Katsuki!?"

"I am calm! What the fu—"

Shouta shot back, glaring upon the teen, "Language!"

Katsuki immediately clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes in complete distress and tried to minimize his anger and asked, "Why are you here?

"It's obvious that I'm deli…vering…" Chiharu's reply slowly began to fade when she caught a familiar figure in the corner of her eyes. And without noticing, she completely brushes the nagging ash-blond off and stirs her wheelchair towards Shouto, who is still completely flabbergasted in the way things are enveloping.

"It's been a while! You got in err…" She greeted but paused when she realizes that she also calls 'Shouto' by Sho-chan but now, she should change it since she's using it as Shouta's nickname. So abruptly, she didn't think twice and called him, "Shouto!"

"S-S-S-Shoto!" Minoru stattered, "W-Why!?"

"Don't fucking ignore me!"

"Aragaki…san…" With his low and delicate voice, he mumbled her name

"Sorry, I broke our promise. But hopefully, I can make up with you."

"Is she his girlfriend!?" Mina asked out of nowhere. However, upon hearing the way the alien girl tease them made Katsuki's blood boil. Eventually, he marched in between them and cut off the conversation, then he put an emphasis to every word he uttered as he clarified things, " **HE'S. NOT. HER. FUCKING. BOYFRIEND.** "

"K-Katsuki?!"

"Don't you fucking ignore me! We're talking, right!?" Agitation filled his nerves. How dare she ignore him? The first one she should see—with anticipation—when she's out of the hospital is him. Plus, he never recalled in his whole life meeting with Shouto. Unless, Chiharu didn't talk to him about it and is secretly hiding their encounter. Just thinking about the possible outcomes makes his blood boil.

"But, I'm talking to Shoto…" Chiharu frowned.

"Shoto…! Shoto…! You've been pissing me off! What's your connection with Half and Half bastard!? When did you even meet him!?"

"So… Aragaki-san is your girlfriend!" Tooru called out, which made the whole class shocked. Well, the way the ash-blond talks to Chiharu and his 'anger' towards Shouto only clarifies that they're in some sort of relationship. However, upon hearing the word—girlfriend—made Katsuki's brain stop and register everything.

 **Girlfriend?**

 **Who?**

 **Haru?**

 **My girlfriend?**

 **Haru is?**

 **Haru is my girlfriend?**

 _Error 404: Bakugou stopped working…_

 _Rebooting in 3… 2… 1…_

"W-What!?" His face became the color of a bad sunburn, seething and burning across his ears. It felt like liquid adrenaline being injected right into his bloodstream - just enough to make his excited. His skin tingled when they locked eyes and his heart beat erratically in his chest so hard that he felt as if he would burst. But, Chiharu's thickheaded skull just have to burst his bubble and replied with a loud chuckled, "No, Katsuki is not my boyfriend. He's my childhood friend! Plus, Shouto isn't also so stop all the ridiculous gossips!" However, her statement made him pale in comparison. It felt like a bunch of arrows just pierce into his heart and it kept bleeding. If it was possible, the ash-blonde turned even whiter in the process of being rigid as a statue.

"Busted!"

"Got rejected!"

"Break time!" Shouta exclaimed, "Chiharu if you want to spend time with them go on… But after that return to the faculty room, got it?"

"Yes!"

"Oi, Haru!" Katsuki called out but it's too late for him as he sees her marching towards the exit with Shouto. And just by seeing that half and half bastard with Chiharu makes his blood boil. It's been a while since he saw her out of the hospital yet her attention is glued into that bastard. For now, he doesn't get this feeling inside his chest. Every fucking time some random bastard approaches her, it felt like his patience level will burst out of like a roaring volcano. He won't admit the fact that he fucking miss her _so much._ Yet, he's getting ignored!?

No way. There's no way that person will snatch Chiharu out of him. No way.

" _Fuck off Half and half bastard,_ " he inhaled sharply. His eyes glowing deep red to the figures of Chiharu and Shouto walking happily as he gnashes his teeth in pure agitation, " _Haru's mine."_

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! Thank you for the cheerful comments. I absolutely love them so much! I just celebrated my birthday last week and all your comments are wonderful gifts to me. Please continue to support my story!

This will be a two-part story which is about meeting UA students here... Well, as always, a peaceful story first before the main arc which is the Sports Festival. Thank you so much!


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